Cotton, Wildcats Prove Too Much for Phoenix

The Perth Wildcats built on their moment from before the FIBA window to return to winning form in The Jungle with Bryce Cotton delivering 32 points in a 103-96 win against the South East Melbourne Phoenix.

The Wildcats were back at RAC Arena on Thursday night looking to snap a three-game home losing run while remarkably having lost nine of 13 in what was once the most feared road trip in the NBL.

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However, they did snap a first five-match losing streak in 17 years in Adelaide before the break and built on that momentum against a Phoenix team who weren’t able to bounce back from their own 25-point Throwdown loss.

The 'Cats blew the game open with 28 points to 14 in the second quarter with Cotton delivering 16 first half points. They then closed the third quarter strongly which saw them build a big enough buffer to hold off the Phoenix and win by seven for their first home win since October 8.

While the signs were impressive again for the Wildcats not only with Cotton's 32 points but with Brady Manek hitting another five threes for 21 points, the concerns for the Phoenix were significant until a 37-point fourth quarter.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Brady Manek brought his dancing shoes tonight, and he&#39;s mastered the one-two sidestep ?<br><br>Catch the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL23</a> action live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel. <a href="https://t.co/EFcArJWnPN">pic.twitter.com/EFcArJWnPN</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1593216463355011072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In a lot of ways it was as rough a performance as the Throwdown before the break but still they almost snatched it down the stretch getting within three in the dying stages with those 37 fourth quarter points.

On top of Cotton's 32 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals, and Manek's 21 points on 5/7 long-range shooting, Corey Webster stepped up for 10 points for Perth with Jesse Wagstaff adding nine points and six boards, and Luke Travers nine points, five rebounds and three blocks.

Wildcats coach John Rillie was happy to get a win and to finally give the Red Army more to cheer about.

"You're always happy with a win but as I told the players after the game, enjoy it but there's always things we can work on to get better especially with what we are trying to achieve as a group," Rillie said.

"But yeah, it's great to be back at RAC and play well in front of our home fans. That's always good."

Mitch Creek finished with another 32 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals for South East Melbourne with Alan Williams adding 16 points and eight boards, but his frustration at only getting eight shots was palpable.

Gary Browne added 12 points and six assists, Reuben Te Rangi 12 points and eight rebounds, and Trey Kell 10 points and three assists.

Phoenix coach Simon Mitchell knows that it's at the defensive improvement where the improvement has to come from his group.

"I thought early on we were OK and executed reasonably well, but just didn’t reward ourselves with some of our finishing," Mitchell said.

"Then when we went on a bit of a turnover festival which really god Perth up and going, and that was disappointing. I thought that kickstarted them and held us back a little bit. 

"Giving up that many points is definitely concerning and certainly disappointing, but also very curable. It's going to take a commitment from everyone to get on the same page from a defensive standpoint."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cornrow Cotton is back - and he&#39;s taking NAMES ?‍?<br><br>Catch the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL23</a> action live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel. <a href="https://t.co/6eFyIrB2PW">pic.twitter.com/6eFyIrB2PW</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1593200203741265920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Neither team would have felt like they executed well in the opening quarter and by the end of it the 'Cats were shooting at 36 per cent and the Phoenix 38, but it was a tight contest at least.

Reuben Te Rangi sparked South East Melbourne with nine points while Brady Manek hit a couple of threes for Perth with 27 rebounds between the two teams as the Phoenix were up 21-20 by quarter-time.

The Phoenix were still up 25-24 early in the second but then the Wildcats took over. They went on an 11-0 run to blow the game wide open capped by a three-pointer to Todd Blanchfield.

Gary Browne tried to shoot South East Melbourne back into it with a pair of long balls, but the 'Cats still finished the half strongly to be up 48-35 at the break.

That was largely on the back of Bryce Cotton's 16 points but as a team Perth was going at 44 per cent to a paltry 29 from the Phoenix.

Alan Williams had dominated at times down low last up for the Phoenix, but he took just two shots the entire first half. That changed to start the third quarter and he scored his team's first three buckets, but those would be his only shots of the period.

Mitch Creek then scored South East's next 11 points, but Perth kept piling the points on and another three triples for Cotton helped them lead by 16 on the back of going into three quarter-time on a 13-2 run.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The foolishness. LT just won&#39;t have it ?‍??<br><br>Catch the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL23</a> action live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel <a href="https://t.co/sG9HAaf3O8">pic.twitter.com/sG9HAaf3O8</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1593211125394395136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The Phoenix made a run to start the fourth term with six straight points through Williams and Creek to bring the margin back to 10, but the 'Cats kept answering.

Three balls to Manek (two), Cotton and Corey Webster ensured the Wildcats remained up double-figures but the Phoenix kept coming and it was a three-point game after Kyle Adnam hit three free-throws with 28 seconds to go.

However, Perth broke the press break for a wide open Manek dunk, then turned it over and a Travers dunk sealed the deal for the home team.

It's the only game in Round 7 for the Wildcats who are next in action at home to the Adelaide 36ers next Thursday. The Phoenix have a quick turnaround to Saturday's Throwdown with Melbourne United.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 7

PERTH WILDCATS 103 (Cotton 32, Manek 21, Webster 10)

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX 96 (Creek 32, Williams 16, Te Rangi 12, Browne 12) 

BOX SCORE