The Perth Wildcats return to Challenge Stadium on Sunday afternoon looking to remain unbeaten against the Sydney Kings dating back to 2008 and responding strongly to a couple of road losses the past two weeks.
The game tips-off at 4pm inside Challenge Stadium on Sunday afternoon and will be broadcast live on 91.3 SportFM (www.sportfm.com.au).
The Wildcats have not lost to Sydney since March 1, 2008 and not since February 2 of that same year inside Challenge Stadium, but the 'Cats won't be resting on their laurels on Sunday with a win crucial to their top-two, and indeed top, spot prospects.
The Wildcats did beat the Kings in all three meetings last season upon Sydney's return to the NBL and then so far this year won 103-92 in The Jungle on November 27 and then most recently the teams played off in a thriller in Sydney.
On that night on January 20, the Wildcats stormed back from an 11-point deficit with seven minutes to go and held Sydney to just two points for the rest of the game to run out 76-75 victors.
That was in the middle of the Wildcats' six-game winning run that saw Rob Beveridge and Jesse Wagstaff earn Coach and Player of the Month honours respectively for January.
Following the 'Cats last home game on January 28 that was a thumping 32-point win over the Townsville Crocodiles, they have lost two tight road games to the New Zealand Breakers and Cairns Taipans.
Now it's back inside The Jungle on Sunday ahead of another tough weekend next week with a game with the Adelaide 36ers in Adelaide on Friday and then at Challenge Stadium against the Taipans on Sunday.
A win on Sunday against Sydney will see the Wildcats maintain second place on the ladder and remain close to the first-place Breakers. New Zealand currently sits just one game clear of the Wildcats.
Sydney certainly presents plenty of challenges, though, and is without doubt a talented line-up.
Obviously there is centre Julian Khazzouh inside who is likely the best big man in the competition. He is averaging 17.1 points and 10.8 rebounds a game this season and will take some stopping from Wildcats pair Matt Knight and Luke Nevill.
Also in the frontcourt with Khazzouh is import Jerai Grant. Last time in Perth he had a big night with 20 points and 11 boards, and he's also earned himself NBL Player of the Week honours for his 23 points and 12 rebounds against Gold Coast back on January 7.
Grant's battle with Wagstaff and Shawn Redhage will be tremendous to watch also.
Sydney also has some dangerous shooters and scorers. Rookie Anatoly Bose is having a tremendous season averaging 14.6 points and 6.4 rebounds a game while Ben Madgen is also up around the 12 points a game mark.
While Sydney is all but out of the playoff hunt, they will certainly be out to cause some havoc in the closing stages of the season, but with the 'Cats needing to hit back and maintain their hold on a top-two position, no doubt Rob Beveridge's men will be fired up for a big performance in The Jungle.
