Wildcats dominate United for home win

The Perth Wildcats delivered a commanding all-round team performance to be in control all night against the league-leading Melbourne United to finish with the 96-84 Thursday night win at RAC Arena.

A ferocious first quarter offensively and smothering third term defensively paved the way for the Wildcats' clinical victory in Perth.

The two teams met in Melbourne just under two weeks ago in the last game before the FIBA break with United winning 98-87 in what was a playoff-like encounter in their first meeting since last year's finals series.

The Wildcats came out on a mission in the rematch and outscored United 33-20 in the first quarter and were never really headed from there even though Tanner Krebs had 25 first-half points for Melbourne on his way to a career-best 29 on 12/14 shooting with 4/5 from downtown.

However, captain Chris Goulding was unwell all week coming into the game and struggled going scoreless on 0/6 shooting in just under 16 minutes with his 109-game streak of games making at least one triple coming to an end.

It was a strong all-round showing from the Wildcats with centre Jo Lual-Acuil Jr enjoying a first win against his former team with 18 points, four rebounds, three blocks and two assists.

Dylan Windler was outstanding with the 'Cats +24 in his 28 minutes where he also had a big hand in defending Goulding on his way to 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists while hitting 3/4 from downtown.

David Duke Jr had the defence job on Tyson Walker and did that tremendously on his way to 15 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals with Kristian Doolittle adding 12 points, nine boards and seven assists, and David Okwera 11 points and four rebounds.

It was a tough night for the league-leading Melbourne although Jesse Edwards had a fascinating duel with Lual-Acuil Jr for 17 points and nine rebounds.

The final margin flattered the visitors, whose two backcourt stars - Walker and Goulding - combined for six points on 1/17 field goal shooting and 0/8 from downtown.

Milton Doyle finished with 12 points, six rebounds and two assists but also struggled shooting going 5/19.

Perth attacked the rim hard and smashed Melbourne on the boards to gallop ahead 16-2, before Krebs subbed on and gave United a faint pulse.

He scored 16 points without a miss for the term, but it was still the home side well up 33-20 at quarter-time.

The Wildcats continued to get the job done by committee, while United's big three - Goulding, Walker and Doyle combined for four points on 1/15 shooting in the first half.

Perth bumped a 59-42 half-time buffer up to 76-57 at three quarter-time as Windler came alive with his side's last eight points, including a monster three on the buzzer.

The Wildcats' lead ballooned to 23 early in the fourth, before putting the cue in the rack.

The Wildcats now remain at home for the most anticipated game of the season to date on Sunday when Bryce Cotton returns for the first time to RAC Arena with his Adelaide 36ers.

Melbourne will also back up on Sunday with the third Throwdown already of NBL26 up against the South East Melbourne Phoenix.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26

PERTH WILDCATS 96 (Lual-Acuil Jr 18, Duke Jr 15, Windler 13)

MELBOURNE UNITED 84 (Krebs 29, Edwards 17, Doyle 12)

BOX SCORE