Wildcats Off-Season Wrap: Anzac Medal honours for Dech, Pepper
Written By
Jordan McArdle
Elijah Pepper has been named NBL1 West player of the week for a remarkable fourth week in a row as his ridiculous debut season for Warwick Senators continued.
The prolific guard scored his third 50-plus point haul in four games as the ladder-leading Senators made it four from four with a 119-83 victory over Perth Redbacks on Saturday night.
The 23-year-old, who’s averaging a staggering 49.75 points this season, dropped 50 points - including seven triples - to go with 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals to win the Anzac Day Medal for best-on-court honours.
Fellow Wildcat Todd Withers contributed 14 points for Warwick including four three-pointers.
Elsewhere in the NBL1 West, Development Player Tom Gerovich (eight points, seven rebounds and three assists) helped Willetton to a tight home win over Eastern Suns on Anzac Day.
Returning Wildcat Sunday Dech had an excellent weekend for Knox Raiders in the NBL1 South competition including an Anzac Medal-winning performance.
Dech averaged 22 points and seven rebounds across his two matches against Casey and Bendigo respectively.
The Raiders split their Round 4 games, going down to the Cavaliers before bouncing back against the Braves with Dech winning the Anzac Medal with 22 points, six rebounds, one assist and one block.
Dech, who signed a three-year deal to return to the Wildcats, where he won two championships, was named his team's player of the game in both outings.
Fellow off-season addition Lat Mayen also had a productive round, for West Adelaide in the NBL1 Central, averaging 16.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, two assists and one block across his two games.
The former Adelaide 36er’s efforts couldn’t get the Bearcats over the line though as they went down in both clashes.
In Puerto Rico, import Kristian Doolittle had a game-high 10 assists to go with seven rebounds in Gigantes de Carolina’s loss to Santeros.
Doolittle’s team tasted victory four days later against Cangrejeros with the imposing forward contributing a whopping 11 rebounds to go with eight points and six assists.
David Okwera celebrated his re-signing at the Wildcats with a double-double for Franklin Bulls in the New Zealand Basketball League.
The young big man put up 16 points and a massive 13 board to lead the Bulls to victory over Hawke’s Bay.
Hyrum Harris also had a double-double against the Hawks last round, with 10 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in Wellington’s loss.
DP Dontae Russo-Nance helped Manawatu defeat Indian Panthers with 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals.
The Jets made it two from two for the round with Russo-Nance contributing 13 points, seven assists, five steals and three rebounds in the victory over the Whai earlier in the weekend.
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