Wildcats Home (not alone) for Christmas and Staying Ready for 36ers

After spending much of the past decade playing through Christmas and New Year, Wildcats guard Sunday Dech says the chance to be in Perth with family has been a welcome change, as the Perth Wildcats prepare for a crucial road test against the Adelaide 36ers.

“For a lot of us, playing through this period has just been normal but any time you can be around family at this time of the year is a bonus,” Dech said. “At the end of the day, this is our job and we’re ready for the challenge.

After an important road win in Tasmania, Dech can see how the away trips continue to bring out the best in the Wildcats.

“When we’re on the road, it’s very much an us-against-the-world mentality,” he said. “We lock in, live for the moment, and take pride in silencing the crowd. Tasmania’s a tough place to play, so to go there and win doing it our way meant a lot.”

Looking ahead to Adelaide, Dech acknowledged the task of containing Bryce Cotton, while also stressing the importance of consistency across the full 40 minutes.

“You can’t stop Bryce, you just try to slow him down,” he said. “It’s about limiting momentum swings. Turning five or six-point runs into two or three-point runs is the difference.”

Dech also praised the recent performance of Kristian Doolittle, highlighting the work done behind the scenes that led to his standout showing.

“People see the finished product, but it’s the work before and after practice that makes him so valuable,” Dech said. “He does so much that doesn’t always show up immediately, he’s a barometer for us at both ends of the floor.”

Dech said the Wildcats’ recent form has shown growth, particularly on the road, but consistency remains the next step.

“We’ve played a lot of great basketball,” he said. “It’s about staying solid when things slip and not letting teams capitalise.”

The challenge now is translating that same mindset back home, something Dech believes the group is determined to address heading into the new year.

With the Wildcats eyeing a strong finish to the year, Dech believes the foundations are in place.

“If we can string performances together now, we put ourselves in a great position heading into the new year.”

Sunday Dech will add another string to his bow on Tuesday night, stepping into a sideline reporting role at the Perth Lynx game.

A regular attendee at Lynx games when schedules allow, Dech said the group has been building toward something special.

“They’ve been knocking on the door for a couple of years,” he said. “They’re a lot of fun to watch and there’s real firepower across the roster.”

Dech is particularly excited to see Han Xu in person, while backing the Lynx to continue their strong form.

“I genuinely think this could be their year,” he said. “It’s one game at a time, but they’re in a really good place.”

Prepared in part by his work on the Wildcast and guidance from former captain Damian Martin, Dech is looking forward to the experience.

“We’ll see how it goes,” he said. “I’m excited for it.”