Match Report: Wildcats vs 36ers Rnd11 NBL26

On a historic afternoon where the club recorded its highest regular season attendance, the Red Army turned out in full voice to welcome back Cotton, who received a tribute pre-game recognising his three championships and five MVPs in Perth colours.

The emotion inside the arena was unmistakable, but once the ball went up, the Wildcats looked composed and locked in for the contest. Perth controlled large portions of the afternoon, only for a frantic final few minutes to turn the game on its head and produce one of the most dramatic finishes of the NBL season.

Perth carried its momentum from Thursday night’s win over Melbourne United straight into this one, playing with confidence and rhythm from the opening tip. David Duke Jr opened the scoring from beyond the arc, Jo Lual-Acuil Jr established his presence inside and Kristian Doolittle quickly found his touch from mid-range and beyond the perimeter.

Cotton got on the board from the foul line and then in transition, but the Wildcats’ depth again proved one of their greatest strengths. Ben Henshall and David Okwera injected instant energy off the bench, combining on multiple positive plays, while Jesse Wagstaff delivered another milestone moment. With a controlled finish inside, the skipper notched up 4,000 career points, sending RAC Arena into a roar reflective of the occasion.

Perth’s defensive discipline also shone, restricting Cotton to seven first-half points and forcing Adelaide into a series of tough, contested shots. At halftime, Perth held a well-deserved 50–40 advantage.

The third term proved to be Perth’s most dominant stretch of the game. Lual-Acuil Jr opened with another strong finish inside and then went to work on the glass, adding a tip-in, a dunk and a block as the Wildcats tightened the screws defensively.

Doolittle continued to orchestrate from the frontcourt, crashing the boards, finding teammates and setting the tone with his poise. He created a key look for Elijah Pepper in the corner, while Duke Jr attacked decisively in transition. 

Adelaide attempted to respond through Zylan Cheatham and Isaac Humphries, but each time the visitors threatened to chip away, Perth answered with composure. The Wildcats outscored the 36ers 28–20 in the term to take a commanding 78–60 lead into the final break, appearing fully in control of the contest.

Windler opened the fourth with a clean finish, and even as Adelaide found a pair of threes, Perth still looked comfortable with a double-digit lead. Duke Jr remained composed at the free throw line, Lual-Acuil Jr powered his way to 17 points and continued to protect the rim, and Doolittle added a confident three from the top to push the Wildcats to 92–76 with under five minutes to play.

But from that point, the game flipped dramatically.

Adelaide increased their defensive pressure, trapping aggressively and forcing Perth into rushed decisions. Humphries continued to score inside, Cheatham attacked in transition and Cotton began to find more freedom as the 36ers chipped away possession by possession.

A series of missed shots and turnovers allowed Adelaide to surge. A corner three cut the margin to six inside the final two minutes, before Lual-Acuil Jr split a pair at the line to keep Perth ahead by seven. Cotton then drilled a three from the wing, and a defensive stand led to a crucial sequence: a foul and technical call on the Wildcats. Cotton sank all three free throws to make it 94–93 with 38 seconds left.

Out of a timeout, Duke Jr’s drive to the rim was blocked, giving Adelaide a chance to take the lead, and they did, scoring inside with under 10 seconds remaining.

The Wildcats had one final possession. Duke Jr pushed up the floor and found Doolittle on the wing for a potential game-winner, but the shot bounced out and Adelaide secured the rebound to complete a remarkable comeback.

BOX SCORES