Cotton, Pinder dominate as Wildcats win big

Bryce Cotton took charge in the first half and Keanu Pinder exploded in the second as the Perth Wildcats opened the new season in spectacular fashion beating the South East Melbourne Phoenix 106-98.

HoopsFest is opening the new NBL season in Perth with every team playing in the opening round out west and it was a packed RAC Arena on Friday night to cheer on their hometown team against the decidedly new-look Phoenix.

It was a three-point barrage to close the first quarter from the Wildcats started with three straight on consecutive possessions from four-time MVP Cotton.

Cotton converted a four-point play just before the halftime break to give him 17 points at the interval with Perth leading 53-44 on the back of hitting 10-of-26 from downtown opposed to 2-of-13 from South East Melbourne.

The Phoenix scored 10 straight points to get back to a point early in the third quarter, but Pinder then took over the contest in dominant fashion.

He scored the game's next 10 points on his own including two three balls before a monstrous dunk to the delight of the local fans.

Cotton then hit two more threes late in the third term with the lead out to 18 and from there the 'Cats cruised to the season-opening eight-point win on going 19/47 from deep.

Pinder had a night out with 4/8 three-point shooting on his way to 29 points, six rebounds and three steals while Cotton had 26 points on making 8/13 from downtown.

They had plenty of support too with Kristian Doolittle adding nine points and 13 rebounds, Ben Henshall 10 points and seven assists and Next Star Izan Almansa 10 points.

It was a rough start for South East Melbourne but Jordan Hunter had 19 points and seven rebounds with Matt Hurt contributing 16 points and 12 boards, and gun recruit Nathan Sobey 13 points but five turnovers.

It was a three-point barrage to close out the first quarter from the Wildcats started by Bryce Cotton. He brought the local crowd to their feet with three straight bombs on consecutive players leading to a Mike Kelly timeout.

Dylan Windler and Ben Henshall then also hit triples to see the 'Cats open up a 29-17 advantage by the end of one and 475-game captain Jesse Wagstaff kept the long-range shooting going to start the second.

Perth opened up a 13-point edge before the Phoenix were able to claw back with their own seven-point run courtesy of gun recruits Nathan Sobey and Jordan Hunter.

Perth pulled away once more and a trademark four-point play from Cotton just before half-time pushed the lead out to 14 with only a triple on the buzzer from Angus Glover keeping South East Melbourne within nine.

The 'Cats knocked down 10/26 from deep for the half to 2/13 from the Phoenix but South East Melbourne came out hot to start the second half.

The Phoenix went on a 10-0 including triples to Derrick Walton Jr and Matt Hurt to be back within a point, but then it was Keanu Pinder's turn to take over for the Wildcats.

He scored the next 10 points of the game on his own including a pair from behind the arc to push the Wildcats back out to an 11-point edge with them up 15 by three quarter-time.

Rookie Elijah Pepper marked his first minutes with a quick three midway through the fourth term before Kristian Doolittle had a huge block up one end and then went up and scored up the other with Perth on the way to the statement eight-point win to open NBL25.

The Phoenix now head home to take on Melbourne United in a Throwdown on Thursday night while the Wildcats remain at home in a hotly anticipated match up with the Sydney Kings.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2024/25

PERTH WILDCATS 106 (Pinder 29, Cotton 26, Almansa 10, Henshall 10)

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX 98 (Hunter 19, Hurt 16, Sobey 13, Walton Jr 13)

BOX SCORE