Wildcats keep rolling with fourth straight win

Friday, November 17, 2023

The Perth Wildcats have put a four-game losing streak fully behind them to now enjoy a four-match winning run with an 88-80 victory over the Cairns Taipans.

Momentum continues to build with the Perth Wildcats and it was superstar Bryce Cotton and projected top NBA draft pick Alex Sarr shining in the 88-80 home NBL win against the Cairns Taipans.

The Wildcats have now strung four wins together after a four-game losing streak had things precariously placed.

Coach John Rillie has changed things up a little since and it's helped free up their three-time MVP winning superstar Cotton. They kept the momentum going on Thursday night at RAC Arena against a Taipans team who ended their last season in the play-in game.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bryce Cotton continued his brilliant form tonight in the <a href="https://twitter.com/PerthWildcats?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PerthWildcats</a> win: <br><br>?? 25 points<br>?? 4 rebounds<br>?? 4 assists<br>?? 1 steal<br><br>He's averaging 28.8 points in his last four games ? <a href="https://t.co/O3Km9AmJFw">pic.twitter.com/O3Km9AmJFw</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1725137709956805114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The Snakes were at full strength for the first time this season with the returns of import guard Patrick Miller and Next Star Bobi Klintman, but the 'Cats started on fire with the game's first seven points.

Cairns managed just five points in the first five minutes, but then worked into the contest including getting a couple of three balls from Lat Mayen (15 points, 5-of-7 three-point shooting). The 'Cats, though, worked back on top to lead 25-20 after one.

Perth still led 47-43 at the half thanks to 16 points from Cotton with the team attempting 24 free-throws. While the Wildcats were out to a 10-point lead heading into the fourth, the Taipans weren’t going away.

The Snakes closed that gap to three after triples to Mayen and Sam Waardenburg (nine points, five rebounds) early in the final period, but the Wildcats did enough to win by eight to make it four straight wins and improve to 6-5 on the season.

Cotton finished with 25 points, four rebounds and four assists with Sarr exciting around the basket for 12 points, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

Tai Webster also had 12 points, Jordan Usher 10 and Kristian Doolittle 10 to go with eight rebounds but Keanu Pinder had a rough night with four points and four turnovers against his former team.

Wildcats coach John Rillie wasn’t getting too carried away with the winning streak though.

"We need to keep getting better, I'm not going to get lost in the minutia of what you guys like to talk about regarding our team," Rillie said.

"We need to just keep getting better and have another opportunity Saturday to a team (Brisbane) who came in here and embarrassed us."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Alex Sarr with AUTHORITY ?<br><br>Catch the action live on ESPN via Kayo ? <a href="https://t.co/44gDkdr6ra">pic.twitter.com/44gDkdr6ra</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1725123341508313312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Cairns slip to 4-5 with the loss on a night where they shot just 36 per cent from the floor and had 19 turnovers while sending Perth to the foul line 34 times (29 themselves).

Captain Tahjere McCall had 19 points, four rebounds and three assists for the Snakes with Miller adding 12 points and six assists, and Bul Kuol 10 points in a fascinating battle with Cotton.

Taipans coach Adam Forde hopes now that his full group his together they can start finding their groove.

"We're just struggling to score points really," he said.

"It's a work in progress and the good thing is with everybody back in the line-up, we're trying to find that balance and now we have Tassie to bounce back at home (Saturday) before the two-week window, which everybody has.

"We need to use that FIBA break to log minutes together and get guys on the same page so we can look where we can capitalise to score, and how we move the ball and address the turnovers issue."

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 8

PERTH WILDCATS 88 (Cotton 25, Sarr 12, T Webster 12)

CAIRNS TAIPANS 80 (McCall 19, Mayen 15, Miller 12)

BOX SCORE