By Justin Chadwick
Perth Wildcats captain Jesse Wagstaff has rolled the dice and won at the NBL Tribunal, freeing him to play in Saturday’s clash with the Tasmania JackJumpers.
Wagstaff was offered a one-match ban with an early guilty plea for his screen that concussed Melbourne United’s Lachie Barker last Friday.
NBL veteran Jesse Wagstaff.Credit:Getty Images
The incident was assessed as careless conduct, high contact and high impact, resulting in a base penalty of two games.
Wagstaff risked a two-match ban by contesting the offence, but the single-member NBL Tribunal ruled in his favour on Wednesday night, dismissing the charge of unduly rough play.
Fans and experts alike were surprised when Wagstaff was handed the initial suspension.
Barker ran into the Wagstaff screen while attempting to chase Bryce Cotton.
Wagstaff’s slight turn of the shoulder just before Barker made contact was the part that attracted the attention of the NBL
The movement looked more like a self defence mechanism rather than anything malicious.
Wagstaff took a gamble by challenging the one-match ban on offer and he came up on top on Wednesday night.
