Tigers can't stop Wildcats' perfect start

Updated October 21, 2012 20:11:53

Perth continued its unbeaten start to the NBL season with a 74-65 road victory over winless Melbourne in the Victorian capital on Sunday.

The Tigers (0-3) had hoped to turn things around in their home opener, but the Wildcats had the answers behind guard Kevin Lisch (16 points) and centre Matt Knight (14 points, eight rebounds).

Import pair Seth Scott (16 points, nine rebounds) and Kevin Braswell (18 points) led the Tigers after Chris Goulding (16) cooled from a hot start.

The Tigers had their chances but they were undone by 25 turnovers and their poor performance on the boards, allowing Perth 15 offensive rebounds.

Wildcats coach Rob Beveridge was thrilled with his team's 3-0 start, admitting in his heart of hearts he had not considered it likely.

"Not at all," Beveridge said.

"Personally, I would have been pleased if we started with three wins from five games."

Later, Wollongong dominated Townsville 84-66 on Sunday to continue their unlikely perfect start to the NBL season.

The Hawks, who were second-bottom last season, led by 15 at half-time and never let the Crocs into the game.

Dave Gruber starred for the Hawks with 14 points, four rebounds and two blocks and Adris Deleon had a team-high 15 points.

Peter Crawford led Townsville with 18 points.

"The pleasing thing was the disruption, I thought the guys did a real good job defensively," Hawks coach Gordie McLeod said.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, perth-6000, wa, australia

First posted October 21, 2012 17:42:24

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Wildcats hammer Crocs at home

Updated October 14, 2012 17:36:40

Perth Wildcats embarrassed the Crocodiles on their own floor in an 82-58 shellacking at The Swamp in Townsville on Sunday afternoon.

The home side made a dismal 29 per cent (17-of-59) of its field goal attempts and surrendered 32 points in the paint as the Wildcats showed no mercy.

Perth scored more points in the first, third and fourth periods than Townsville did in the entire second half, such was the extent of the Crocodiles' struggles.

The hosts looked good in the second period, rebounding from a six-point quarter-time deficit to lead 38-34 at half-time.

But a third-period fade-out saw Townsville surrender its advantage and trail by seven going into the last quarter before capitulating in a 25-8 thumping.

Swingman Michael Cedar was the lone Crocodile to reach double figures on the scoreboard but he needed 10 shots for his 11 points, going 1-of-5 from beyond the three-point line.

The usual suspects were on fire for Perth, with Kevin Lisch's 20-point haul leading the way, although the star guard committed six turnovers.

Shawn Redhage was strong down low, posting 18 points, while Jesse Wagstaff (11) and Matthew Knight (10) also chipped in.

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, townsville-4810, qld, perth-6000, wa, australia

First posted October 14, 2012 17:36:40

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Wildcats ready to pounce on grand final berth

Corbin Middlemas, Gold Coast

Updated April 04, 2012 17:12:45

The Perth Wildcats will try to ignore the lagging effects of a horror road trip tonight as they attempt to become the first team through to the NBL's grand final series.

Having taken game one from the Blaze on Sunday, victory tonight on the Gold Coast would ensure direct entry to the NBL's showcase series, while the hosts face sudden death elimination.

Flight problems at Perth Airport delayed the Wildcats over three hours, as their scheduled flight to the Gold Coast (via Sydney) was cancelled at short notice.

The team later boarded a connecting flight to Melbourne, before eventually arriving on the glitter strip after midnight on the morning of the game.

But Perth coach Rob Beveridge was not concerned about any potential impact it may have on his chargers.

"When we found out the flight was cancelled, it's just shrug the shoulders, alright boys, we got in late last night but that's the way it is," he said.

Perth trained strongly this morning at the team's shoot around as they ran through final set play scenarios.

"The guys seem very focussed and very switched on," Beveridge said.

"I think tonight we've got to play edgy and I think we're at our best when we're that way because we know the Gold Coast are going to throw everything at us. It's make or break for them tonight."

The Wildcats took a squad of 11 to the Gold Coast, all of whom made it through the session.

Jeremiah Trueman stood out of Perth's five-on-five drills and is expected to be the unlucky 11th man on the roster.

Mark Worthington was fouled out in game one and was held to just eight points.

The Australian representative will be pivotal for the Blaze if they are to keep the series alive, with Beveridge expecting Worthington to bounce back.

"I suspect that he'll get 15-20 shots tonight. I think he's their best player with [Adam] Gibson and [Adris] DeLeon," Beveridge said.

"He didn't get too many open looks the other night and he was a bit shitty about that.

"It's not often Mark Worthington plays two average games in a row. This is do or die for them, so we have to make sure we're switched on with him."

Gibson has been hampered by an ongoing calf injury over the past month which restricted him to just 18 minutes in game one.

The Boomers guard has also been troubled with his long range shooting of late, hitting just 7 of his past 37 three-point attempts.

All indications on the Gold Coast is he will be more prevalent on court in game two.

The Blaze have an impressive 10-2 record this season at the Gold Coast Convention Centre, including two wins against the 'Cats, while Perth boast the best travelling record in the NBL, 9-5.

Listen to tonight's semi-final on Grandstand Digital from 7:30pm EST, or via streaming online.

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, southport-4215, perth-6000, wa, qld, australia

First posted April 04, 2012 17:05:45

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Wildcats dowse Blaze to reach final

Updated April 08, 2012 08:22:41

Perth Wildcats will meet the New Zealand Breakers in the NBL grand final series after downing the Gold Coast Blaze 88-67.

The victory gave the Wildcats a 2-1 series victory.

Shawn Redhage (19), Kevin Lisch (16) and Jesse Wagstaff (14) led the way for the five-time NBL champions.

Adris DeLeon (20) was the game's leading scorer but did not receive a great deal of scoring support from his team-mates.

After a competitive first quarter, which ended 29-23 the home side extended the lead to double figures at the break and continued to pull away in the second half.

The Wildcats will now play the Breakers in a best of three final series beginning in Auckland on Thursday.

Tags: sport, basketball, nbl, perth-6000

First posted April 08, 2012 08:18:59

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Blaze fend off Wildcats to force decider

Updated April 04, 2012 23:18:59

The Blaze's NBL championship hopes remain alive after surviving a Perth Wildcats semi-final onslaught to claim a nail-biting 72-70 win on the Gold Coast on Wednesday night.

The series will now be settled with a third and final game in Perth on Saturday, with the winners to progress to the grand final.

The Queensland club surrendered a 20-5 first quarter lead and then several seven-point advantages as the six-time champions came at them again and again.

Controversially, Shawn Redhage was called for an offensive foul and his basket waived away with less than 30 seconds left, before Adam Gibson and Jason Cadee both made 1-of-2 from the charity stripe.

The game still hung in the balance until the final buzzer when a desperate Damian Martin heave went wide to hand the Blaze victory.

Hudson showed he had come to play with a monster dunk to open proceedings, while Mark Worthington stroked home an open three-pointer as Gold Coast set up its 15-point advantage.

That lead was slashed back to just three points at quarter-time as Perth capitalised on a spate of turnovers and fouls from the Blaze - including an unsportsmanlike one from Stephen Hoare and a technical foul called on Worthington.

Gold Coast streaked ahead again before Perth cut the margin to just one with little more than two minutes remaining in the second term.

But six straight points from Adris Deleon, the defensive pressure from the Gold Coast bigs and a buzzer-beating basket from Jason Cadee put the home team ahead 45-38 at half-time.

A huge block and a steal to Martin allowed the Wildcats to again close within one point in the third quarter through Matt Knight, but the desperate Blaze held them at arm's length with a 60-57 lead heading into the final quarter.

The Wildcats had two chances to take the lead with just over three minutes left on the clock, but Luke Nevill travelled on his way to the basket and then put a foot on the line with the ball in hand.

The Gold Coast's crowd had their hearts in their mouths in the dying seconds, but the Blaze did enough to win and now face a deciding semi-final in Perth on Saturday night.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, southport-4215, qld, australia, perth-6000, wa

First posted April 04, 2012 23:18:59

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Wildcats force grand final decider

Updated April 20, 2012 23:37:56

Shawn Redhage pulled off a last-second rejection to hand the Perth Wildcats a nail-biting 87-86 victory over the New Zealand Breakers in game two of the NBL grand final series at Challenge Stadium on Friday night.

In a bizarre finish to the match, the Wildcats hit the lead with a minute remaining after Breakers forward Gary Wilkinson accidentally tipped the ball into his own basket.

Then, with the clock counting down, Breakers guard CJ Bruton charged in for what he hoped would be the game-winning lay-up, only for Redhage to come over the top with a massive block to secure the win.

Redhage had endured a dirty night up until that point, but the forward erupted in pure joy after pulling off the game-deciding move in front of a sell-out crowd.

Perth's win levelled the series at 1-1, with the decider to be played in Auckland next Tuesday.

Wilkinson top-scored for the Breakers with 28 points, while CJ Bruton (20 points) and CJ Pledger (14) were also important for the visitors.

The Wildcats hit just one of 18 three-point attempts, but still managed to come away with the win courtesy of an even scoring load.

Star guard Kevin Lisch and Jesse Wagstaff each scored 15, while Matthew Knight (13), Greg Hire (12) and Redhage (12) also chipped in.

Wilkinson was unstoppable in the first half, with the centre nailing 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting to silence the Perth crowd early.

Bruton was deadly from long range as the Breakers opened up a 46-33 lead midway through the second quarter.

Tempers threatened to boil over late in the half as the teams engaged in a push-and-shove, and the extra heat seemed to help the Cats as they closed the deficit to six by the main break.

However, the half ended on a controversial note when Wilkinson was awarded a basket on the buzzer despite Wildcats players believing time had already elapsed.

The Wildcats failed to hit a three-pointer in the opening half, and it took them until the dying minutes of the third term to finally register one.

Several bombs from Bruton in the final term looked to be enough to give New Zealand the win, but the Wildcats kept plugging away and eventually wore down the Breakers.

Star Breakers swingman Tom Abercrombie managed just six points in his first game back from an ankle injury.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, perth-6000, wa, australia, new-zealand

First posted April 20, 2012 23:12:35

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NBL grand final preview: Breakers v Wildcats

Corbin Middlemas in Auckland

Updated April 12, 2012 16:20:21

Game one of the NBL grand final series has arrived. After 126 regular season matches and six play-off games, tonight the two premier teams in the competition face off at Auckland's Vector Arena.

The rivalry between these two teams is anything but manufactured. It has been built on engrossing tussles and mutual respect.

These sides have shared the past two championships while New Zealand holds a 2-1 series split over the Wildcats this season, separated only by a thrilling overtime result in Perth in which the Wildcats blew a nine-point lead in the last quarter.

Adding to the hostilities, the Wildcats have not forgotten it was the Breakers who ended their championship defence 12 months ago.

"Last year I truly believe if we'd had (Shawn) Redhage we would have won the championship," Perth coach Rob Beveridge told ABC Grandstand.

"We won game one over here in the semi-final series and it was an incredible game by (Kirk) Penney and (Kevin) Braswell at home. We were very much disappointed we didn't go through to the grand final."

The Breakers have again provided an injury byplay to the week, this time centred around star swingman Thomas Abercrombie.

The reigning finals MVP landed awkwardly on his ankle late in game three against the Crocs, and the injury has been the most talked about topic in the lead up to tonight's fixture in Auckland.

It is a sight the Wildcats are all to familiar with, following Mika Vukona's starring comeback from a knee injury to pull in 10 rebounds in last year's semi-final in Perth.

"I'm not buying into it at all," Beveridge said.

"Right now I know Abercrombie will be playing, simple as that. We've prepared as if Abercrombie is going to be there. We haven't changed any game plan whatsoever."

Tonight will also be the first time the Wildcats have played at Vector Arena.

The stadium hosted five Breakers fixtures this season, of which the home side won four.

Their only loss came in game one of the semi-final series against Townsville.

The NBL has declared tonight's game a sell out. Vector Arena seats 9,190 spectators, and tonight's crowd is almost certain to set a new Breakers club and New Zealand basketball attendance record.

Coach Beveridge was impressed when Wildcats had their first look at the arena during today's shoot around.

"I keep saying to our players, this is a very special moment, six of us have experience winning a championship but for the other five players it's going to be fantastic for them to absorb this atmosphere."

Among those five players is Matthew Knight, who celebrates his 100th game, and Luke Nevill who reaches the 50-game milestone.

The Wildcats understand the importance of claiming game one as the traveling team.

"We think if we can win today, we feel fantastic about going home and closing it in two," Beveridge added.

"But that's the Cinderella story, we'd love to do it on our home court."

Of the past 26 grand final series, just four times has a side recovered from defeat in game one to win the championship.

Moreover, it has happened only twice in 20 attempts where travel is such a factor.

In the last 20 best-of-three series in the NBL, the team ranked higher has won 19.

Tickets for game two in Perth on Friday, April 20, sold out within minutes of going on sale to the general public yesterday.

Live coverage of game one can be heard on ABC Grandstand Digital and streaming online from 5:30pm EST, 3:30pm WST.

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, new-zealand, perth-6000, wa, australia

First posted April 12, 2012 13:54:29

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Breakers down Wildcats in OT

Updated April 13, 2012 06:07:00

New Zealand Breakers moved a step closer to defending their NBL title with a pulsating overtime victory against Perth Wildcats in game one of the grand final series in Auckland.

The Breakers and Wildcats were deadlocked at 84-84 at full-time, before the home side edged ahead in the extra period to triumph 104-98.

It was a thrilling game in which the Wildcats came back from a 15-point deficit at half-time to lead well into the last quarter before the Breakers, who were without swingman Thomas Abercrombie, came back to force overtime in the first of the best-of-three game series.

"It's really hard to take because we set very high standards with the Wildcats, with work ethic and intensity," Wildcats coach Rob Beveridge told Grandstand.

"We want to outwork teams and we didn't do that consistently enough."

Breakers coach Andrej Lemanis felt the game proved to be the ideal endorsement for the NBL.

"That's what grand finals should be about, two teams going at it giving it everything they've got," he said.

"Players making plays, massive swings of momentum throughout and everyone staying focussed on the task.

"So, I think that's good for the league."

The Wildcats started brilliantly, scoring the first 11 points and getting Abercrombie's replacement Leon Henry into early foul trouble.

But the Breakers offence, orchestrated brilliantly by Cedric Jackson, came quickly back with a barrage of three-pointers and a 14-0 run helped the hosts take a 28-24 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Breakers continued their momentum in the second quarter, keeping the Wildcats to just 11 points in the term with some stellar defence, while scoring 22 themselves to lead 50-35 at half-time.

Any thoughts the game would be one-sided were blown away when the Wildcats, led by Kevin Lisch and Matthew Knight, dominated the early stages after the break to take a 54-53 lead four minutes into the third quarter.

The Breakers managed to regain their composure and led at three-quarter time, but the Wildcats were the better team early in the last quarter. They had a six-point lead well inside the final period, but some late Jackson points earned a shot at overtime.

The Wildcats led for much of the overtime period but some crucial intercepts and two key plays from CJ Bruton helped the home team secure the points they needed.

Jackson top scored for the Breakers with 25 points, while Lisch posted a game-high 27 points for the Wildcats.

The Breakers will attempt to secure the series in Perth next weekend.

ABC/AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, new-zealand, perth-6000

First posted April 12, 2012 20:06:16

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Wildcats overcome spirited Tigers

Updated March 23, 2012 23:38:53

Perth put an end to a disappointing season for the Tigers with a comeback 72-71 NBL win in Melbourne on Friday night.

Tigers import Myron Allen - who contributed 13 points, seven assists and six rebounds - was denied a game-winning fade-away three-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining when his attempt hit the shot-clock.

Intensity was rife throughout with the Wildcats showing playoff-like desperation ahead of next week's semi-finals, and the Tigers looking to end their tumultuous season on a high.

With both teams utilising full-court defences, Matt Burston (15 points, 13 rebounds) and Lucas Walker (12 points, nine rebounds) led the home team from the inside with an array of buckets.

But Perth weathered Melbourne's early storm courtesy of Jesse Wagstaff (nine points), Luke Nevill (nine points) and Shawn Redhage (19 points, seven rebounds).

Ron Dorsey (22 points) came alive in the second period with a handful of jumpshots and three thunderous dunks, getting the home fans roaring as he totalled 14 points for the quarter.

Perth continued its poor shooting from its previous visit to Melbourne, falling behind 42-32 at the major break.

A three-point play got Kevin Lisch (19 points) going for Perth in the third term to help bridge the gap, and with help from a bandaged Damian Martin, the Wildcats went into the final quarter down 53-49.

A play-off atmosphere took over, with Redhage exploiting Burston's perimeter defence to keep the westerners within arm's reach.

Lisch carried his team down the stretch, a couple of clutch lay-ups ensuring the win and positive momentum going into the semi-finals.

The Tigers finished their season with 11 wins but a forgettable 2-11 record since New Year's Eve.

Referee Ray Hunt officiated in an NBL record 946th match to break fellow Victorian Bill Mildenhall's mark.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted March 23, 2012 22:34:30

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Breakers Wildcats pull up sore after first final

Updated April 13, 2012 18:21:20

New Zealand and Perth are sweating on the health of key players in the wake of the Breakers' victory in the first match of the NBL grand final series.

The home side prevailed 104-98 on Thursday night without their NBL All-Star swingman Thomas Abercrombie, while Wildcats forward Matthew Knight picked up a thumb injury which forced him off court during overtime.

"We need to get some scans, but right now he can't buy a trick," Wildcats coach Rob Beveridge said of Knight.

"When he does something he does it pretty good."

The left ankle Abercrombie injured in the third semi-final in Auckland became a major talking point leading into the game and is likely to remain so as the Breakers try to get him fit for game two in Perth next Friday.

"Obviously eight days gives us a bit of hope," coach Andrej Lemanis said.

"It's shown improvement each day and if it shows that same sort of improvement then hopefully he'll be able to at least contribute something."

The first final added another chapter to a sometimes fractious rivalry and Beveridge promised even more passion as they try to prevent the Breakers securing the title in game two.

"I think that we'll be a lot more consistent with our effort levels and intensity levels (in Perth)," he said.

"If we don't we're going to lose the game."

Meanwhile, Basketball Australia (BA) announced late Friday that Larry Sengstock had resigned as chief executive officer of the organisation.

He took on the job in 2009 after NBL clubs and state and territory associations passed a unanimous vote for the unification of basketball at all levels under the governance of BA.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, perth-6000, wa, australia, new-zealand

First posted April 13, 2012 18:21:20

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Wildcats go one-up in Blaze series

Updated April 01, 2012 21:39:53

Gold Coast stars Adris DeLeon and Anthony Petrie both had big nights but it was not enough to get past the Wildcats as the Blaze went down 85-70 in Perth on Sunday evening.

The home side won the first three quarters and came into the final period with a 17-point advantage which proved far too great for the Blaze to overcome.

DeLeon's 23 points came on an inefficient 8-of-19 shooting whilst Petrie (8-of-17) was little better as league MVP Kevin Lisch poured in 20 of his own on just eight field goal attempts to go along with seven assists.

Lisch had scoring support from team-mates Jesse Wagstaff (16 points, five rebounds, four assists) and Luke Nevill (14, six rebounds).

Gold Coast struggled from long range, making just 7-of-26 from three-point range, and was outscored in the paint as the Wildcats bigs went to work down low.

The Blaze were also left hurting by the Perth defence, giving up eight points from 14 turnovers.

The series now shifts back to the south-east Queensland tourist strip where Gold Coast will look to level up the series on Saturday night.

Tags: sport, basketball, perth-6000, wa, surfers-paradise-4217, australia

First posted April 01, 2012 20:27:15

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Breakers go top with Wildcats win

Updated February 02, 2012 20:49:19

A decisive third quarter took New Zealand to an 83-77 win over Perth and lifted the Breakers to outright first in the NBL.

Victory in the top-of-the-table clash in Auckland was the Breakers' fifth in a row and improves the defending champions' win-loss record to 15-5.

The Wildcats drop to 14-6, while the result leaves the two sides at 1-1 ahead of their series decider in Perth in early March.

The Breakers shared the scoring around, with five players in double figures, led by Gary Wilkinson with 18.

Cedric Jackson got 15 points, as well as 10 assists, while Mika Vukona also compiled a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

For Perth, Kevin Lisch top-scored with 20, while Shawn Redhage (15) and Luke Nevill (14) also got into double figures.

However, the in-form Jesse Wagstaff, who had a game-high 23 points when the Wildcats beat the Breakers 86-62 in Perth the last time the two sides met, had an off night with just two points in one-from-12 shooting.

In front of their fifth successive sellout crowd in Auckland, the Breakers produced a run of 17 unanswered points in the third quarter.

With Wilkinson, CJ Bruton and Jackson all draining three-pointers, the Breakers jumped from 46-45 down to hold a 62-49 advantage.

Their momentum was halted by a technical foul called on Tom Abercrombie, but they still went into the final period with a 66-54 lead.

Perth never gave up and there were a few nervous moments for the home fans near the end.

A Damian Martin basket reduced the margin to single digits.

When Redhage followed up seconds later with another two-pointer, it was a six-point ball game with 68 seconds to go, but that was as close as Perth got.

Earlier, on the back of some accurate shooting, the Breakers jumped out to a 34-24 first-quarter lead.

But the Wildcats, with Martin a dominant figure, upped their intensity in the second quarter, as the Breakers struggled with the visitors' offensive transition.

Three successive baskets from Nevill put the Wildcats in front and they were still there at the main break, up 44-42.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, new-zealand, perth-6000, wa, australia

First posted February 02, 2012 20:43:07

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Wildcats hold off surging 36ers

Updated February 24, 2012 23:04:49

The Perth Wildcats survived a spirited comeback then turned on the afterburners to beat the Adelaide 36ers 90-79 in their NBL game at Adelaide Arena on Friday night.

The Sixers trailed throughout and were down 77-64 with three minutes to play before making three consecutive steals to ignite a 13-2 run.

When centre Daniel Johnson nailed his third triple of the night and followed it with a steal and basket the deficit was just four.

A Diamon Simpson block then led to a Stephen Weigh bucket and the Wildcats were precariously poised at 79-77.

Kevin Lisch answered with a massive three-pointer to break the 36ers' run as he scored 14 points in the intense fourth quarter and 23 overall.

Jesse Wagstaff finished with 17 points and six rebounds while Damian Martin was superb with 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Johnson stepped up in the second half and top-scored for Adelaide with 24 points and eight boards. Chris Warren and Weigh finished with 12 points each.

The Wildcats' outside game gave them the edge in the first quarter with the visitors dropping 5-of-7 three-point attempts.

Inconsistency plagued the Sixers in the second quarter, an Everard Bartlett steal and basket a highlight contrasted by wasted opportunities from the foul line.

Wagstaff remained a focal point for the Wildcats - his 13-point first half giving his side a 44-36 advantage.

Perth switched on in the second half, extending the lead to 14 thanks to full-court efforts from Martin and Wagstaff, before Brad Robbins set up Luke Nevill for an alley-oop to silence the crowd.

The Wildcats were controlling the game but Johnson's increasing influence kept the scoreline a manageable 60-52 with 10 minutes to play.

Lisch made some early baskets in the fourth quarter and the contest was headed for a mundane conclusion, but the Sixers charged home to scare the Wildcats before ultimately falling short.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, perth-6000

First posted February 24, 2012 23:04:49

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Breakers down Wildcats in OT

Updated March 04, 2012 22:23:39

New Zealand Breakers defeated the Wildcats 101-99 in an overtime thriller in Perth.

Gary Wilkinson hit the go-ahead and ultimately game-winning basket with 27 seconds remaining in overtime off another sweet CJ Bruton (seven assists) feed.

Earlier, an amazing Mika Vukona tip-in with eight seconds left in regulation capped an 8-2 Breakers run to send the game into overtime.

Cedric Jackson led the way with 23 points and six assists in another enthralling backcourt battle with Damian Martin (eight points, nine assists, six rebounds).

Wilkinson (18 points), Daryl Corletto, Alex Pledger and Vukona (all 12 points) all played important roles for the winners.

For Perth, Kevin Lisch was superb with 27 points but missed a tough shot to win it in regulation.

Meanwhile, an Adris Deleon NBL masterclass steered Gold Coast Blaze to a 90-83 home win over Sydney Kings.

Deleon blew the Kings away in the second half with a season-best haul of 33 points, killing off a Kings outfit missing star centre Julian Khazzouh.

The Blaze did it mostly without Mark Worthington, who spent much of the second half sidelined with four fouls next to his name.

But Anthony Petrie stood tall with 20 points and nine rebounds, including an important five-point run in his club's dominant third quarter.

Guard Ben Madgen led the Kings resistance with 30 points despite collecting a finger to an eye and an elbow to the mouth during the match.

Anatoly Bose had 22 points and big man Jerai Grant 19, but no other player scored more than six points for the Kings.

The Kings launched a first-half ambush on the fatigued Blaze, who played in Cairns on Friday night, with Shane Heal ordering his charges to outrun their tired opponents.

For the first half it worked, with the Kings claiming a 43-37 half-time lead.

But Deleon caught fire in the third quarter with 14 points - including two three-pointers - as the Kings attack stuttered.

That was the only quarter the Kings lost, but the 29-10 hiding the Blaze dealt out was enough to secure the win.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, perth-6000

First posted March 04, 2012 22:23:39

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Wildcats reel in Kings for NBL win

Updated January 20, 2012 23:43:58

Perth survived a nail-biting finale to record a 76-75 NBL win over the Kings in Sydney on Friday night.

In front of a crowd of over 7,500, Sydney's Graeme Dann missed two free-throws with less than a second remaining to hand the Wildcats their one-point victory.

Despite being down by 11 points midway through the final quarter, Perth's Shawn Redhage (15 points), Jesse Wagstaff (15 points) and giant centre Luke Nevill's game-high 19 points formed a three-pronged assault the Kings were unable to contain.

Nevill also proved a handful for Kings' star centre Julian Khazzouh, his work at the defensive end enforcing a quiet night for Sydney's leader.

Redhage's final quarter was crucial, popping up with rebounds and draining long jumpers to break the Kings' resistance when an upset win for the home side looked on the cards.

Rookie Anatoly Bose was the star for Sydney, his 16 points and 10 rebounds almost setting up a memorable victory, but his wayward 8-of-15 free-throw shooting proved decisive.

Bose was supported by crowd favourite Jerai Grant (17 points) and Ben Madgen (16 points) in a game that featured 22 lead changes.

When Khazzouh hit the opening two baskets of the final term, then Bose and Madgen both scored, the Kings had converted a two-point lead into double figures just two minutes into the quarter.

Perth coach Rob Beveridge then went with Redhage and Wagstaff in the front court and their mobility was too much for Khazzouh and Grant.

From their the Wildcats controlled the boards and the tempo, holding the Kings scoreless for almost six minutes.

Three straight baskets from Redhage edged them in front with three minutes to play.

Madgen responded, but a putback from Wagstaff gave Perth their one-point margin before Dann's attempted heroics came up short.

In the night's other game, the Wollongong Hawks beat the Cairns Taipans 80-74 in Cairns, as the visitors spread the points across the board to pick up a rare win.

The bottom-of-the-ladder Hawks had Oscar Forman (13 points), Tim Coenraad (12) and Larry Davidson (11) to thank for sharing the scoring duties, while Mat Campbell, Tyson Demos and Glen Saville also chipped in with 10.

The Hawks remain bottom of the NBL table despite the win, while Taipans hang onto fourth spot in the last of the finals places.

ABC/AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, perth-6000, wa, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted January 20, 2012 23:41:48

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Wildcats snap Breakers' streak

Updated December 24, 2011 01:16:31

Perth Wildcats have kept the pressure on ladder-leading New Zealand, ending the Breakers' five-match winning run with a thumping 86-62 win at Challenge Stadium.

Jesse Wagstaff led the way for the home team with 23 points while Kevin Lisch added 18 as Perth bounced straight back from last Saturday's narrow away defeat to Gold Coast Blaze.

The second-placed Wildcats are now just one win behind the Breakers, who have tasted defeat just four times in 14 matches.

In Sydney, the Townsville Crocodiles defeated the Kings 100-93 in an entertaining affair courtesy of superior long-range shooting.

Crocodiles trio Eddie Gill (26 points, nine assists), Peter Crawford (22 points) and Jacob Holmes (21 points, 11 rebounds) were irresistible from three-point territory and proved the difference.

Kings big men Julian Khazzouh (17 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, four blocks) and Jerai Grant (18 points, 12 rebounds) made their presence felt at both ends, but the Crocs guards ultimately led them to a hard-fought victory.

On the Gold Coast, a sublime shooting performance from point guard Adam Gibson led the Blaze to a crushing 96-77 victory over the Adelaide 36ers.

With Boomer Mark Worthington sidelined for most of the first half with foul problems, youngster Jason Cadee (13 points) and NBL journeyman Stephen Hoare (10) stepped up for Gold Coast.

But Gibson was the star for the home side, hitting four three-pointers amongst his game-high 27 points, while Will Hudson and Anthony Petrie finished with 10 points each.

Big men Daniel Johnson (24) and Diamon Simpson (18) provided the only resistance Adelaide could muster, with Chris Warren (12) and Darren Ng (10) only reaching double figures once the game was decided.

And at the State Netball and Hockey Centre in Melbourne, Cameron Tragardh's 14 points led the Tigers to a narrow 67-65 triumph over the Cairns Taipans.

ABC/AAP

Tags: sport, basketball, nbl, perth-6000, wa, new-zealand, australia

First posted December 24, 2011 00:59:23

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Blaze scorch Wildcats

Updated November 12, 2011 22:26:36

New Gold Coast import Adris Deleon inspired the Blaze to a 107-92 NBL annihilation of competition favourite Perth on Saturday night.

Playing in front of his new home crowd, Deleon exploded to life with 21 points - 18 in the first half - that included eight assists, five rebounds, a steal and an incredible block against Matt Knight despite giving away 25cm in height.

Where Deleon provided the flash, Anthony Petrie (19 points, six rebounds) offered the grit for the Blaze just 10 days after fearing he had re-injured the Achilles tendon that cost him all of last season.

Gold Coast's Australian representative Mark Worthington (22 points) finished as the game's top scorer as well as holding Boomers team-mate Shawn Redhage to just 10 points in an intriguing battle.

For Perth, big men Knight (18 points) and Luke Nevill (22) were damaging in the paint, while NBL player of the month Kevin Lisch bagged 19 points.

Gold Coast took an early 16-13 advantage, but it was the Wildcats who went to the first change ahead after a five-point run to close the quarter.

The Blaze streaked away early in the second term with five quick-fire points from Worthington and a key block on Jesse Wagstaff.

Wildcat Drew Williamson's frustrations with Deleon led to a heavy unsportsmanlike foul, with the import calmly slotting the free throws.

Seconds later he dropped another triple to give the Blaze a 14-point lead.

Nevill and Knight engineered a seven-point Perth run to cut the lead to five.

But it was Deleon again who broke Perth's momentum with a slick dish off to Chris Goulding, with his three-pointer giving the Blaze a 55-49 half-time lead.

The lead ballooned to 14 as James Harvey piled on eight quick points - including the basket that made him just the fourth player in NBL history to reach 5,000 points - and young guns Jason Cadee and Goulding hit three-pointers.

Petrie then hit a buzzer-beating triple to close the third term which pushed the lead out to 15, a mountain too large to climb for Perth.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, broadbeach-4218, qld, perth-6000, wa, australia

First posted November 12, 2011 21:51:00

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Tigers claw back to down Wildcats

Updated November 18, 2011 22:42:00

Melbourne stunned NBL heavyweight Perth with a come-from-behind 87-82 victory on Friday night.

The visiting Wildcats built an impressive 21-point lead in the second quarter and looked likely to record a comfortable win.

But on the night the Tigers honoured their 1993 championship team, Melbourne refused to accept defeat and clawed its way back to record a famous triumph.

Melbourne outscored Perth 61-35 from midway through the second quarter to pull off the comeback.

Ayinde Ubaka led the Tigers with 23 points, Cameron Tragardh added 22 and import Ron Dorsey finished with 18 points in his best display of the season.

Matthew Knight had 24 and seven rebounds for Perth, with Brad Robbins bagging 13 points.

Perth used a Knight-inspired 14-3 second-quarter run to build a 47-26 lead, but the Tigers quickly closed the gap to 15 points at half-time thanks to consecutive Daniel Dillon baskets.

That momentum carried over to the second half, Melbourne scoring the first nine points on the back of some Tragardh brilliance as he struck back in his match-up with Knight.

With the deficit back to six points, the game settled into a defensive grind, with baskets earned in a physical contest.

The Tigers outscored the visitors 25-11 in the third quarter and entered the final term down 61-60.

When Ubaka sank a shot to start the term, the Tigers led for the first time since the opening quarter, only for Wildcat guard Everard Bartlett (10 points) to take it straight back with a three-pointer.

The teams traded the lead through an exciting final period before a spectacular Dorsey dunk and three-pointer on successive plays gave the Tigers a 79-76 edge.

From there Melbourne converted its free throws to record its sixth win in eight games.

AAP

Tags: nbl, basketball, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, perth-6000, wa, australia

First posted November 18, 2011 22:06:17

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Lisch commits to Wildcats

The Perth Wildcats have re-signed US basketballer Kevin Lisch through to the end of the 2012/13 NBL season.

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Tags: basketball, perth-6000

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Weigh to leave Wildcats

Posted May 13, 2011 18:44:00

NBL championship-winning forward Stephen Weigh is on the lookout for a new club after leaving the Perth Wildcats.

Weigh has been placed on the NBL's free agency list following three years with Perth.

The 24-year-old spent helped the club win the 2009/10 title, averaging 10.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game that season.

"If we hire on character first, then Stevie is arguably one of our finest," Wildcats chief executive Nick Marvin said.

"Over the past three years, he has been a role model, not just to those outside our organisation, but to myself and those inside it.

"He was our youngest player until this year, but was wise and mature beyond his years.

"His reasons for leaving are personal and not to do with the club, the coaches, the team, the administration or the salary."

Former Seattle, Charlotte and Memphis NBA forward Andre Brown has already left the club, returning to Chicago after the Wildcats' decision not to offer him a deal for next season.

Perth was hopeful US import Kevin Lisch, who also went onto the free agency list on Friday, would play out another season with the Wildcats.

- AAP

Tags: sport, basketball, nbl, australia, wa, perth-6000

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