Wildcats have all the answers for Breakers

The big guns of the Perth Wildcats fired and the cool head of Jaron Rillie was the icing on the cake as they made it consecutive victories by holding out the New Zealand Breakers 99-91.

The Breakers were back home at Spark Arena for the first time since December 6 and playing their first game since beating the Tasmania JackJumpers on Boxing Day, but they were playing catch up the whole way.

While the Wildcats could never quite shake off the Breakers, they did have the answers any time the home team challenged including putting up 32 points in the third quarter on the way to the eventual eight-point win.

The big three of the 'Cats all fired with Kristian Doolittle finishing with 21 points, three rebounds and three assists on 3/4 three-point shooting with Jo Lual-Acuil Jr adding 20 points, six boards and three assists, and Dylan Windler 17 points and 10 rebounds.

But it was the cool head and composure, and ball handling abilities, of development player Jaron Rillie that was key.

In just his third game back from a hamstring injury, he played 19 minutes for 13 points and four assists while knocking down crucial free throws going 6/7 despite missing his first at the stripe of his NBL career.

After leading by double digits in the third quarter, the Wildcats were briefly overtaken in the fourth before stamping their defensive authority down the stretch.

The Wildcats hit 10/21 from three-point range on the way to shooting 56 per cent from the field overall while winning the rebound battle 40-29 to move to 13-10 (4-6 at home, 9-4 away).

Doolittle was also switched onto Breakers superstar guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright in the second half and was instrumental in his tough outing finishing with 10 points on 5/14 shooting with five turnovers despite seven rebounds, six assists and three steals.

Elijah Pepper chimed in with 13 points and three assists for the 'Cats and David Okwera 11 points and four rebounds.

The defeat saw New Zealand slump to 8-14 and eighth place, their finals hopes hanging by a thread.

Sam Mennenga top-scored with 19 points and three rebounds with Carlin Davison providing a spark with 14 points and two steals as did Tai Webster in his first game against his former team with eight points, three rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Next Star Karim Lopez had 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks but the Breakers did need more from import pair Izaiah Brockington (12 points, two assists) and Rob Baker II (eight points, five rebounds, three turnovers).

The home side jumped ahead 12-6 behind Jackson-Cartwright's pesky on-ball defence and some strong work on the offensive glass, before Perth caught alight, Windler scoring eight points without a miss to steer the Wildcats to a 28-23 quarter-time lead.

The Wildcats' advantage grew to 34-23 early in the second term, before Lopez and Mennenga helped slice the margin to 48-45 at half-time.

The visitors knocked down 5/6 from downtown in the third, Doolittle and Windler taking advantage of some sloppy New Zealand perimeter defence.

Down 80-74 at three quarter-time, the Breakers started the fourth with triples from Rob Loe and Davison, before Jackson-Cartwright's step-back jumper gave them the lead.

But that field goal would be the Breakers' last for almost seven minutes, the home side missing 10 straight shots as Perth restored order at both ends.

The Breakers remain at home to host the Sydney Kings on Friday night while the Wildcats take on the South East Melbourne Phoenix in Melbourne on Saturday night.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 91 (Mennenga 19, Davison 14, Brockington 12)

PERTH WILDCATS 99 (Doolittle 21, Lual-Acuil Jr 20, Windler 17)

BOX SCORE