DrinkWise game preview - Round 20: Perth Wildcats v Tasmania JackJumpers

The Wildcats arrived in Tasmania on Friday afternoon ahead of the Saturday night clash, looking to finish the home-and-away season on a high after already locking in second spot.

Head coach John Rillie admits rebounding was the major area his team needed to improve on after a disappointing loss to Illawarra in Wollongong on Thursday night.

“Tonight it was our rebounding. I get too emotionally invested in the game and then our team followed what I behaved,” Rillie said after the Wildcats lost the rebounding count 57-35 in the 16-point defeat.

“It all starts with me when we perform like that. Credit to them. They killed us on the glass. That allowed them to just chip away at us.”

Influential big man Kristian Doolittle, who went down with a shoulder issue against the Hawks, has been cleared to face Tasmania but superstar Bryce Cotton is a game-time decision after copping a knock to his knee.

The performance of Hyrum Harris was a big positive to take out of Thursday’s loss, with the New Zealander amassing a career-high 15 points to go with seven rebounds.

Harris is in the conversation for the Most Improved Player gong at Monday’s NBL Awards in Melbourne.

Game details

Who: Perth Wildcats vs Tasmania JackJumpers

When: 5pm WST Saturday 17 February

Where: MyState Bank Arena

Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo or Foxtel

Opposition watch

Tasmania have been in hot form heading into the business end of the season, winning four of their past five games.

Import Jordon Crawford is always a handful, averaging a team-high 17.5 points per game to go with 3.6 assists.

Jack McVeigh, Will Magnet and Milton Doyle are a few others the Wildcats will be desperate to stop on Saturday.

Last time they met

The Wildcats have won both of their previous encounters against the JackJumpers this season - by a total of just seven points at RAC Arena.

Their last clash was a one-point thriller back in Round 11 with Bryce Cotton starring.

Cotton led the Wildcats in points (28), rebounds (eight) and assists (four) in a dominant display, even scoring the game-winning free throws with eight seconds left.