Cotton's praise for Webster after impressive return

Cotton, the star of the show with a team-high 28 points, eight rebounds and four assists, highlighted the impact of Webster in his return from illness.

The three-time NBL MVP said while others on the outside may understate the energetic New Zealander’s influence, there was no such view inside the four walls of Bendat Basketball Centre.

“Shoutout to Tai for some of the plays he made. Offensively the big three (late in the final term) as well as playing good defence down the stretch,” Cotton said.

“Tai does so much that we’re all aware of. Maybe to the outside eye not everyone is aware of the impact Tai has on this team. I was super excited to have him back and I think tonight showed why.”

Webster had 10 points and four rebounds for the match, starting and finishing with a bang.

His three-pointer with 1:19 on the clock tied the scores at 84-apiece, while he also made some big plays at the other end of the floor to help the Wildcats prevail by a solitary point.

The win saw Perth jump to third on the NBL ladder with a 9-6 record heading into four consecutive games away from home.

The team sets off for Melbourne on Friday before taking on powerhouse Melbourne United the following evening at John Cain Arena.

The three-game road-trip also includes a Boxing Day clash against the Taipans in Cairns and a Thursday night encounter against the 36ers in Adelaide.

The team’s first game of the New Year is also on the road, against New Zealand at Spark Arena in Auckland on January 7.