The Perth Wildcats hit back with a 91-74 victory over the Sydney Kings at Challenge Stadium this afternoon in a game where the 'Cats withstood a big third quarter comeback to end up 17-point winners to further consolidate second position on the NBL ladder.
The Wildcats returned to The Jungle after back-to-back road losses to New Zealand and Cairns and opened up a 22-point advantage during the second quarter, and then withstood Sydney getting to within two early in the last period to end up winning by 17 by the final buzzer.
Or here to hear from Sydney Kings coach Tim Hudson and captain Julian Khazzouh
The 'Cats now improve to a 15-7 record on the season to remain just one game behind the first-place Breakers and then to also maintain the advantage they hold over the teams just below – Gold Coast, Townsville and Cairns.
Jesse Wagstaff continued his blistering form for the Wildcats with a game-high 25 points on 5-of-8 shooting from three-point range. He also had eight rebounds as he made the most of moving into the starting line-up.
Kevin Lisch scored 19 points with Luke Nevill adding 10 points and six boards. Damian Martin scored seven points and added six boards, four assists, three steals and a block in a typically strong all-round performance.
Shawn Redhage had seven points to go with five rebounds and three assists. Drew Williamson also scored seven and Matt Knight six with five rebounds after overcoming an early shoulder injury.
Brad Robbins and Greg Hire both also scored four points and Ben Purser two. Cam Tovey didn’t score, but was tremendous in every other area with eight rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Wildcats coach Rob Beveridge was happy overall with the effort of his team but knows the third quarters can still be improved upon going forward now towards the playoffs.
"We have got seven games to go and it's a new season now for us. We've set ourselves a goal of coming home with a wet sail and when we show glimpses of that we are so good," Beveridge said.
"You can sit back and be in awe at times, particularly when we had some defensive possessions there when we were just so good. That busts it open and then you come out in the third quarter and they can't make a shot. That creates anxiety in the group and luckily Jesse has been playing exceptionally well, and he was just so cool, calm and collected and opened it up again for us."
It was a slow opening with both teams just hitting one free-throw in the first two minutes but then thanks to two scores from Nevill, a three to Wagstaff and five quick points to Lisch made sure the 'Cats opened up the first break of the game.
The advantage was 13-7 and then 15-7 when Robbins set up another easy score down low for Nevill. Then the 7'2 giant continued his great start with a big three-point play to put the Wildcats up by seven before Sydney closed the gap to two by quarter-time.
The Wildcats then dominated the second period and it all began with the first 10 points to Robbins, Knight, Williamson and Redhage.
And then after a Sydney score, Redhage hit a three and Lisch, Hire and Martin joined in the fun to help the 'Cats to another 9-0 run to stretch the advantage to 37-19 with the Kings having scored just two points in more than five minutes of the quarter.
The Wildcats' lead did get out 22 as well following a three, and a three-point play to Lisch, and a pair of free-throws to Wagstaff. The 'Cats were still in control 54-36 at the main break.
Sydney came out fired up to start the third quarter and scored the first seven points and then closed the margin o five with another 7-0 run, but threes to Wagstaff and Williamson, and then scores to Hire and Robbins made sure the Wildcats still led 64-58 at three quarter-time.
Sydney then got to within two points to start the last quarter, but the Wildcats responded well with a 12-0 run. Wagstaff scored eight of those points and then when he nailed another triple with just over three minutes to go, the Wildcats got up to a 16-point lead again.
It did get to as much as 19 and then finished at 17 after Purser got the last score of the game for the Wildcats.
The 'Cats now have a challenging weekend ahead with a game against the Adelaide 36ers at the Adelaide Arena on Friday night and then it's back home to host the Cairns Taipans on Sunday.
Perth Wildcats 91 (Jesse Wagstaff 25, Kevin Lisch 19, Luke Nevill 10)
defeated
Sydney Kings 74 (Anatoly Bose 16 Jerai Grant 12, Ben Madgen 10)
Box scores
