The Perth Wildcats have consolidated top spot on the NBL ladder with a hard fought 94-78 win over the surging Melbourne Tigers at Challenge Stadium on Saturday night.
The Wildcats (15-9) opened up a gap on both Townsville and Gold Coast with the win, with the Crocs and Blaze losing to Cairns and New Zealand respectively on Saturday night to slip to 13-10 records.
For Melbourne, the loss puts a severe dent in its playoff hopes. The Tigers had won five straight games coming into Perth and now slip to 10-13, but could still sneak into the top-four by winning at least four, preferably five, of their remaining matches.
The Wildcats lost in Melbourne by 14 points on Wednesday and came back home desperate for revenge, especially on Julius Hodge, and they also had to change up their defence on the Tigers guard.
Stephen Weigh was given the job and was a better height and strength match-up than guards Brad Robbins and Damian Martin, and he did a good job helping to keep Hodge to 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting.
Weigh also had a terrific offensive night with 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting, and five assists.
It was a night for the Wildcats' young guns with forward Jesse Wagstaff hitting a career-high 21 points, including four three-pointers and six boards. Luke Schenscher also got the better of his big man battle with Chris Anstey scoring 16 points.
Daryl Corletto had 17 points for Melbourne, but Mark Worthington only had 12 as he was limited to 23 minutes due to foul trouble. Anstey had just nine points and shot 1-of-6 from three.
Redhage picked up two fouls to sit early for Perth, but that left Wagstaff to come on and he quickly hit two three-pointers to give the 'Cats an early 14-8 lead. It wasn’t to last with the Tigers hitting back through Hodge and Worthington.
Things went up a gear as expected once Brad Robbins entered the floor and he and Hodge got tangled up immediately, but the 'Cats scored the last two buckets to lead 21-18 after one period.
The Wildcats maintained a small advantage right through the second quarter with Redhage coming back on to hit six points for the period and Schenscher also nailed eight in an impressive quarter.
Twice during the third quarter Perth threatened to break the game open, but Melbourne would not go away. The 'Cats began the period with 10 of the first 13 points to lead by double-figures after Worthington picked up his fourth foul.
The Tigers got that margin back to six soon after before the 'Cats went on another surge with back-to-back threes from Weigh to lead by 12, but Melbourne finished on a 13-3 run to trail by just two at three quarter-time.
It was all Perth in the opening five minutes of the final quarter with Galen Young, Wagstaff and Cattalini all hitting threes to take the lead out to 81-66.
Worthington then hit a three and Hodge a lay-up, but Wagstaff and Martin answered with long bombs for the 'Cats as they opening up a game-high 16-point lead with four minutes to go. From there the win was sealed and the Wildcats cruised to be victorious by that margin.
Melbourne (10-13) hosts Adelaide next Wednesday before travelling to Gold Coast next Saturday, while Perth (15-9) has a good break before a three-game road stretch in four days starting in Cairns on February 3.
Perth Wildcats 94 (Wagstaff 21, Schenscher 16, Weigh 15)
Melbourne Tigers 78 (Corletto 17, Hodge 16, Worthington 12)
@ Challenge Stadium; 23/01/10. Crowd: 4,400.
