The Perth Wildcats have opened 2012 winning a hard fought defensive struggle against the Melbourne Tigers 72-67 tonight at Challenge Stadium to maintain top spot on the NBL ladder in the inaugural Gemmill Homes Variety Shield.
The Tigers were able to start well in their second visit to The Jungle for the season and led by 12 points at quarter-time, but the 'Cats had closed that gap to six by half-time and then the Wildcats had turned that around to be six up by three quarter-time.
Click here to listen to Wildcats coach Rob Beveridge and Damian Martin's post-match press conference
Or here for Melbourne Tigers coach Trevor Gleeson and the league's leading scorer Cam Tragardh
By the time Wildcats co-captain Shawn Redhage hit a big three with 29 seconds to go, the 'Cats had secured the win to move to an 11-5 record to remain ahead of New Zealand and Melbourne atop the NBL ladder.
Redhage top-scored for the 'Cats with 19 points and seven rebounds. Kevin Lisch added another 16 to go with four assists and three boards. Luke Nevill started as centre again and finished with 12 points and four boards.
Jesse Wagstaff scored 10, Matt Knight eight to go with eight boards and Brad Robbins two. Damian Martin was outstanding with five points, 10 boards, five steals and two assists.
Wildcats coach Rob Beveridge was delighted with the defensive efforts of his team, especially after quarter-time to come away with the win.
"I think the grit was the thing that I was impressed with. I thought that our offence was horrible in the first half and we started off a really bad trend with the first three possessions as turnovers to get us behind," Beveridge said.
"It was just one of those games where were missing free-throws, turning it over and fumbling the ball, but we spoke about it at quarter-time. We had to play defence when things aren’t going well and they scored 11 points in the second quarter, and we held them to eight in the third quarter. I was very happy with the way we played defence, but not happy with the way we played offence."
While Melbourne came into Challenge Stadium and started well leading 11-2 early, the 'Cats quickly got back into the contest. Nevill was the catalyst with a block at one end and then a bucket down the other end.
Redhage and Knight then scored for the 'Cats as well to close the margin to three, but the Tigers soon stretched it back out to eight again. However, Wagstaff, Knight and Robbins all helped the Wildcats put together an 8-0 run. But Melbourne scored the last 10 points of the period.
The 'Cats started the second quarter well, though, scoring 15 of the first 22 points to close within four by the three and-a-half minute mark. Redhage was the catalyst to the Wildcats comeback as well with nine points, including a basket from long range.
Two free-throws to close the half from Wagstaff then made sure the Wildcats only trailed by six at the main break.
Lisch was on fire to start the second quarter scoring the first basket within 22 seconds and soon after he added another and then a big three to bring the Wildcats to within one.
Liam Rush then hit a three for Melbourne, but Redhage, Lisch and Knight then combined for five straight points and the Wildcats took the lead at 45-44.
A three for Melbourne to Bennie Lewis levelled scores at 47 soon after, but then a pair of free-throws from Lisch, and two buckets inside from Nevill ensured Perth led 53-47 at three quarter-time.
Martin hit a big three to start the last quarter for the Wildcats to put the home side up by nine, but the visitors wouldn’t go away. Halfway through the period they had closed to within two points, but the 'Cats continued to have the answers down the stretch.
When Redhage capped off his night with a three with 29 seconds to go the 'Cats were up by seven and that was the final nail in Melbourne's coffin.
The Wildcats now remain at home to host the Gold Coast Blaze next Friday night at Challenge Stadium.
Perth Wildcats 72 (Shawn Redhage 19, Kevin Lisch 16, Luke Nevill 12)
defeated
Melbourne Tigers 67 (Cam Tragardh 17, Liam Rush 17, Ron Dorsey 9)
Box scores
