Wildcats Break away to move closer to NBL Cup

The New Zealand Breakers threw down the gauntlet but the Perth Wildcats responded with a monstrous third quarter led by Todd Blanchfield to take a step closer towards winning the NBL Cup after Friday's 85-75 victory.

Finn Delany was on fire in the opening period with the Breakers building on the momentum from winning at the buzzer over Cairns on Wednesday night.

Delany was on his way to a career-best night with 10 first quarter points with New Zealand up seven, and then 10 when he hit another quick seven points in the second term.

The Breakers still led by one at the half but the Wildcats responded and it was on the back of Todd Blanchfield. While Bryce Cotton and John Mooney starred again, so often Blanchfield has proved the barometer for the 'Cats this season.

He had a scoreless first half but then put up 10 points including a pair of triples in the third term with the Wildcats putting up 33 points to set up a match-winning advantage on the way to the 10-point triumph.

It takes the Wildcats back to the top of the NBL Cup and they can secure the trophy and winner's prizemoney by beating the Adelaide 36ers on Sunday no matter how other results go. 

The Breakers also finish up on Sunday against South East Melbourne Phoenix.

Showing just how incredible a level Cotton continues to play at for Perth, his 24 points on 8/16 shooting from the field and 3/6 from deep didn't even match his NBL Cup averages. But he was superb and also had seven assists, three rebounds and three steals.

His partner-in-crime Mooney had another double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds while Clint Steindl was handy with 12 points. Blanchfield only had 10 points that all came in the third quarter, but they broke the game open.

Mitch Norton had seven points and six assists while his defence was a big factor in a season-low 11 points from Tai Webster.

Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson was glad to see what his team produced in the third quarter to break the game open.

"I thought it was a tough, physical game from the word go and it was kind of a slog really," Gleeson said. 

"We broke the shackles in the third quarter and that's what won it for us with our intensity on defence. I think we created a lot of points on turnovers and we started to move the ball a little bit, and set some good screens. It was a really handy break for us to open up."

Webster did just shoot 5/16 from the floor but he still contributed seven assists but it was Delany who broke out with the career-best showing for New Zealand. He delivered 30 points and seven rebounds on 12/17 shooting with 3/6 from deep.

Jarrad Weeks added 11 points, Wednesday's hero Tom Abercrombie 10 and Colton Iverson eight to go with rebounds in another brave Breakers showing minus Corey Webster, Rob Loe and Lamar Patterson.

Breakers coach Dan Shamir again couldn’t fault his team's heart shown but there was little pieces of execution they could have performed better.

"We started well obviously and it wasn't just having the lead, but we executed. We didn’t make every shot but we came out the right way and built an early lead," Shamir said.

"But overall with our few limitations right now we once again left everything on the floor. I thought it was a good effort but it wasn’t enough and I obviously focus on a lot of little things that we can do just a little better. 

"We have to do that in order to win games because with 75 points that we produced offensively, we have to really be perfect on a lot of little things. But overall in the big picture I can't complain too much for their effort and attitude. It was just not enough."

The Breakers took control midway through the opening quarter going on an 11-2 run with nine of those points courtesy of Finn Delany including a couple of threes and a breakaway slam to help New Zealand to the 19-12 lead after one.

Delany continued on to start the second term with another three and two more buckets to help the Breakers lead 26-16. Perth was able to steady and a triple from Bryce Cotton and then another that became a four-point play saw the 'Cats but New Zealand lead to one by half-time.

Todd Blanchfield was scoreless at the half but he opened the scoring in the third quarter. Then after five quick Cotton points, Blanchfield drilled back-to-back three-pointers for Perth to go on an 11-0 run to break the game open.

They then went on another 14-3 run to end up leading by 17, and by 15 still at three quarter-time.

The game looked over with Perth's lead growing to 19 to start the fourth, but the Breakers weren’t done with yet. They would go on a run of 13-2 courtesy of Delany, Tom Abercrombie and Tai Webster to suddenly make it a six-point game.

But the Wildcats responded with three-point plays on consecutive possessions to Cotton and Mooney, and that sealed the deal for the 10-point win to take them back to the top of the NBL Cup.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 9
NBL CUP WEEK 4

PERTH WILDCATS 85 (Cotton 24, Mooney 17, Steindl 12)

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 75 (Delany 30, T Webster 11, Weeks 11) 

POINTS AWARDED – Perth Wildcats 5, New Zealand Breakers 2

BOX SCORE