By Darren Snowdon
Perth Wildcats have taken a major step towards securing a berth in the NBL’s new Play-In Tournament after easing past Adelaide 36ers 112-97 in the first open-air game to be played in Western Australia.
The home side thrived with the roof open at RAC Arena on Saturday as they marked the occasion with their best offensive performance this season to consolidate fifth spot on the NBL ladder with a 12-10 record.
Bryce Cotton of the Wildcats puts a shot up.Credit:Getty
Perth steamrolled the Sixers in the opening 20 minutes as they poured in 67 points to take an imposing 21-point advantage into the main break.
They then led by as many as 32 in the second half before resting their starters in the fourth quarter with the result in hand.
Brady Manek sparked the Wildcats with his deadly long-range shooting, the American forward matching Bryce Cotton with a team-high 23 points, while Corey Webster and TaShawn Thomas added 17 points apiece.
The Wildcats had little trouble adjusting to the open-air conditions by shooting at 63 per cent from the field and making nine of their first 11 three-point attempts in the first half to leave the visitors reeling.
“We played some nice basketball there in the first half. Our defence was solid, we really just shared the ball and played with great pace on offence and everyone got to share in it,” said coach John Rillie after Perth completed back-to-back home wins following Tuesday’s three-point victory over New Zealand.
“It was beautiful to watch.”
Perth’s hot shooting continued after the main break, Manek connecting on 6 of 9 triples as the Wildcats finished the night with 15-of-27 from beyond the arc.
After passing a late fitness test on a leg injury, Cotton opened with 12 first-quarter points as the Wildcats jumped out to a 32-17 advantage.
The open-air RAC Arena in Perth.Credit:Getty
Manek kept the momentum going in the second stanza with his fifth three-pointer putting Perth up by 20 with more than five minutes remaining in the half.
Robert Franks tried valiantly to keep Adelaide in the contest by scoring 17 of his game-high 25 points in the second quarter, but any hopes of a Sixers revival were snuffed once the former Brisbane big man fouled out early in the final quarter.
With losses in four of their last five games, Adelaide’s post-season prospects continue to nosedive but coach CJ Bruton is hoping his squad can take the positives out of a 34-point final quarter against Perth into their remaining five games.
“We need to continue to play with that sort of pressure and effort levels,” Bruton said.
“While it wasn’t their starters on the floor at the end, it doesn’t matter. It’s competing and playing at an elite level, playing desperate basketball and playing like you’re in a war and getting after it.”
AAP
