Wildcats upset United in dramatic overtime win

The Perth Wildcats have signalled their NBL revival with a dramatic 102-95 overtime victory against the league-leading Melbourne United at a sold out John Cain Arena on Melbourne Cup Eve.

The 10,175 fans in attendance were treated to quite the dramatic evening which began with United losing Luke Travers to concussion after a heavy collision to teammate Ariel Hukporti in the opening minute.

It was supposed to be the night Melbourne's team was at full strength with the returns of Matthew Dellavedova and Ian Clark, but then Travers' night was done, Hukporti's was hindered and Clark had a recurrence of his hamstring injury.

That didn't come close to summing up the drama though. 

Melbourne was on top for much of the fourth quarter and were still leading by four with 1:45 to play, but the Wildcats weren't done with yet and that's when the drama started.

Alex Sarr scored on a putback for Perth but on the same play Chris Goulding was called for a foul on Kristian Doolittle, with the 'Cats import making both to convert the four-point play and tie scores up.

Dellavedova then made a free-throw to put United back up by one before it was Perth captain Jesse Wagstaff, who has racked up three DNP's this season, who got a massive offensive rebound to set up import forward Jordan Usher to play the hero with a go-ahead three-pointer with six seconds to play.

United still had time and out of a timeout, Dellavedova drove to the basket and finished the contested layup. Initially he was fouled too but Wildcats coach John Rillie challenged the call. He won the challenge and as a result scores were tied at 89-89 and the game went to overtime.

Perth was without star big man Keanu Pinder who had fouled out but the visitors scored the first seven points of overtime and from there completed the seven-point win.

United coach Dean Vickerman rued a lack of execution at crucial moments but saved a blast for the officials in his post-game press conference.

"I go back and watch it after the game and say Sarr hit Delly on the arm," he said of the call that was reversed in the final second.

"Someone is going to have to tell me what happened on that play ... we should be shooting a shot for the win.

"To overturn that is crazy. When things decide a game we need to get the film ... we need clarification as quickly as possible."

It completes a perfect double win weekend for the now 4-5 Wildcats after beating Adelaide at home on Saturday with Bryce Cotton backing up those 29 points with another 24 to go with six rebounds and three assists.

Doolittle also had 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the 'Cats, Sarr 17 points and six boards, Usher 12 points and Pinder 11 before fouling out.

"We just found a way," Rillie said. 

"I only care about how our team plays ... everyone can have their opinion but Stevie Wonder saw we weren't playing good.

"If you really believe in your team it usually works itself out."

Jo Lual-Acuil top-scored for Melbourne with 25 points and 10 rebound with Dellavedova contributing 23 points and six assists in his first game back from concussion.

Captain Goulding also had 19 points with Melbourne's six-game winning run ending as they slip to 8-2 on the season.

HUNGRY JACK’S NBL INDIGENOUS ROUND

MELBOURNE UNITED 95 (Lual-Acuil Jr 25, Dellavedova 23, Goulding 19)

PERTH WILDCATS 102 (Cotton 24, Doolittle 18, Sarr 17)

BOX SCORE