Cam Huefner reaps rewards of off-season work

Cameron Huefner’s commitment to an off-season in Perth is translating to his performances with the Wildcats, with head coach John Rillie praising the work behind his development.

After his first season learning the demands of the NBL, Huefner stayed in Perth to play NBL1 with the Perry Lakes Hawks and continued building his game.

Head coach John Rillie said his side are seeing the benefits of that investment, with Huefner helping Perth work their way back into Wednesday night’s contest against the Sydney Kings at RAC Arena.

His performance earned praise from Rillie, who credited the work behind his growing impact.

“He's done a nice job of putting in the work, being patient, and then capitalising on those moments,” Rillie said.

“You talk about Cam last year, it’s a steep learning curve from wherever you come to the NBL. Huge learning curve, which I don’t think is probably given the proper respect that’s deserved.”

Rillie’s assessment highlights how Huefner has built on the experience of his first NBL season.

Playing under Wildcats assistant and Perry Lakes Hawks head coach Ben Peterson gave him further opportunities to develop his game while staying close with the club during the off-season.

“He has a year with us, then he goes and stays in town and plays NBL1, and he does great work in the off-season, and then it’s carried over,” Rillie said.

“So then we’re seeing the fruits of his labour.”

Huefner's development was on display as the Wildcats searched for a response against Sydney.

After trailing by as much as 25 points, Perth lifted its defensive pressure after halftime and began working back into the game.

The Kings ultimately secured a 99-91 win, but Huefner’s involvement with timely buckets provided another example of the contribution he can make when his opportunities arrive.

Rillie’s confidence in his continued development comes from his habits behind the scenes, with the coach identifying his work ethic and attitude as reasons to expect further growth.

“I can only see that continuing moving forward, because he’s got a great work ethic, he’s got a good attitude to it all,” Rillie said.

While Huefner’s progress offered encouragement, the Wildcats were clear that their second-half response didn't erase the disappointment of the result.

Captain Jesse Wagstaff said Perth had given themselves opportunities to complete the comeback, but needed to take responsibility for the position it had been in.

“It’s no good for a moral victory, but I think we had our chances late,” Wagstaff said.

Attention now turns to Saturday night’s clash with the Illawarra Hawks at RAC Arena, where the Wildcats will look to bring greater pressure from the opening tip.

Rillie said the review would focus on Perth’s application early in the game, having spent much of Wednesday night trying to recover from Sydney’s hot start.

“Anytime you start a game slow, it’s tough,” Rillie said.

“We’ll talk and review a lot about how we start the game and how we come out.”

The Wildcats return to RAC Arena on Saturday night to host the Illawarra Hawks, with Perth looking to close out Round 7 with a win in front of the Red Army.

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