Wildcats take care of Bullets at home

The Perth Wildcats didn’t quite get the huge percentage boost that looked likely with an 18-2 start but got the win they needed to stay clear in fourth place with the 94-75 home win against the Brisbane Bullets.

The Wildcats played host at RAC Arena on Friday night to the wooden spoon bound Bullets clear in fourth place but with games against Sydney and Adelaide to finish, they couldn’t afford a slip up.

It looked like a significant percentage boost too early when they were leading 18-2 after the first four minutes with the Bullets having an embarrassing start with six turnovers including an attempted Terry Taylor pass into the block that went straight out of bounds.

Kristian Doolittle couldn’t help but laugh and the Wildcats power forward put up 13 points in the first quarter. His team were in control the entire way, but didn’t get the huge percentage best they might have wanted to go further clear of Melbourne with the 19-point victory.

A fourth-straight win - and ninth in their last 10 games - keeps the Wildcats (20-11) in fourth spot on a tight ladder and they did increase their percentage gap on the fifth placed United who are 19-12.

Perth were without Ben Henshall (ankle) against Brisbane, but were relieved to see David Duke Jr get through his first game in eight weeks after overcoming an elbow injury.

Duke Jr had nine points and four rebounds in 13 minutes on court, but it was Doolittle once again the star of the show with another dominant performance.

He finished with 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists on 10/14 shooting from the floor, 4/7 from downtown and 4/5 from the foul line.

Elijah Pepper also had 20 points and five assists with Jo Lual-Acuil Jr contributing 15 points and eight rebounds, and Dylan Windler nine points, five boards and two assists.

Last-placed Brisbane (6-26) got Tyrell Harrison (nine points, four rebounds) back from concussion, but had another poor night in their 12th consecutive defeat.

Hunter Maldonado did top-score with 18 points, seven assists, six rebounds and three steals with Alex Ducas adding eight points and three boards, Mitch Norton eight points, and Terry Taylor eight points and four rebounds but five turnovers.

The Wildcats now head straight to Sydney to take on the league-leading Kings on Sunday before finishing the regular season next Friday night hosting Bryce Cotton and the Adelaide 36ers.

The Bullets have just one game now in their season to go and they host the Kings next Friday night.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26 – ROUND 21

PERTH WILDCATS 94 (Doolittle 28, Pepper 20, Lual-Acuil Jr 15)

BRISBANE BULLETS 75 (Maldonado 18, Smith-Milner 10, Harrison 9)

BOX SCORE