The Perth Wildcats have won four straight games for the first time since the end of 2010 to retain top spot on the NBL ladder with a 92-80 victory at Challenge Stadium over the Gold Coast Blaze tonight.
Having lost twice on the Gold Coast to the Blaze already this season, the Wildcats had a point to prove and after trailing early on in the game, wore down the visitors to lead by 10 points at half-time and then as much as 19 in the last quarter before eventually winning by 12.
The win improves the Wildcats to a 12-5 record on the season to remain just ahead of the New Zealand Breakers on top of the table after the fourth straight win.
The run of four games has come since the last disappointing loss to the Gold Coast as well and is the first time the Wildcats have put such a run together since winning five in-a-row between December 5 and December 31 to close out 2010.
Click here to listen to the post-match press conference with Rob Beveridge and Jesse Wagstaff
Or here to listen to Gold Coast coach Joey Wright and co-captain Adam Gibson
Wildcats coach Rob Beveridge was happy with the way his team responded to Gold Coast's style of play as well to remain focused and record an impressive victory.
"If we played the Gold Coast earlier in the season the way that they played physical defence and the way that they crashed the glass and things like that, I think we would have lost the game. We've learnt so much about the way teams have to beat us by being super physical," Beveridge said.
"I thought we did a tremendous job of just handling that. We didn’t get involved in the niggle that was there and I was very pleased about that because that's what teams are doing to us to try and take us out of our comfort zone."
Jesse Wagstaff continued his tremendous form for the Wildcats as well with 25 points on the back of 8-of-13 shooting and five rebounds.
Kevin Lisch added 21 points that included 10-of-11 from the charity stripe. Shawn Redhage scored 15 points and pulled in five boards while Cam Tovey had eight points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Damian Martin got the better of his duel with Adris Deleon limiting the Gold Coast point guard to 18 points but that was on 6-of-17 shooting and he had five turnovers. Martin had six points, four rebounds, four steals, two assists and a massive block on Deleon.
Brad Robbins had six points and three rebounds in his 150th game for the Wildcats with Drew Williamson also scoring six, Luke Nevill four and Jeremiah Trueman one.
Redhage got the Wildcats off to the perfect start with an early bucket 30 seconds in, but it was a big game for the Blaze and they were able to lead 7-4 a minute and-a-half into the contest.
Four quick points to Tovey and then four more straight for Robbins after he hit the court ensured the Wildcats maintained within a point of Gold Coast.
The Blaze were still clearly ready for the battle, but a three for Wagstaff, a pair of free-throws to him and lay-ups to Lisch and Martin late in the quarter saw Gold Coast lead just 22-21 at quarter-time.
The Wildcats then quickly assumed the lead to start the second quarter thanks to free-throws from Wagstaff and a bucket from Redhage. Halfway through the period scores were tied at 32, but the 'Cats then put their foot down in the lead up to half-time.
It all began with a massive three from well beyond the arc from Lisch as the shot clock wound down. He backed it up straight after with a pair of free-throws and then the Wildcats went on a 6-0 run thanks to Tovey, Martin and Wagstaff.
Jason Cadee hit a couple of free-throws for Gold Coast with nine seconds to go, but then as the half-time buzzer sounded Wagstaff tossed up a bomb that went in and the 'Cats suddenly led 46-36 at the main break.
Gold Coast might have got the opening score of the second half, but Redhage answered right back with a three-pointer. When Nevill also knocked down a jumper the lead was out to double-figures.
Aside from back-to-back threes for the Blaze from Deleon and Gibson, it stayed around that mark as well for the 'Cats and Wagstaff was the catalyst. He nailed another triple and three other baskets in the quarter alone.
The 'Cats lead did get out to as much as 14 and was still 11 by three quarter-time and even though Mark Worthington and Gibson combined to hit five threes in the final period for the Blaze, they could never get closer than nine points.
Williamson nailed two big threes for the Wildcats and Wagstaff continued to fill it up while Lisch played the role as closer to secure the 12-point win.
The Wildcats now hit the road to face the Sydney Kings at the Sydney Entertainment Centre next Friday night.
Perth Wildcats 92 (Jesse Wagstaff 25, Kevin Lisch 21, Shawn Redhage 15)
defeated
Gold Coast Blaze 80 (Adris Deleon 18, Adam Gibson 15, Mark Worthington 14)
Box scores
