Wildcats on eight-game streak at halfway mark

The Perth Wildcats will head into Easter on an eight-game winning streak after defeating the Sydney Kings 95-89 at RAC Arena on Friday night.

It’s the Wildcats longest streak in almost eight years – the last time was to open the 2013/14 season.

Guard Mitch Norton said he’s proud of his team.

“It’s an everyday approach. We talk about rolling with the punches, schedule changes, all that type of thing, that’s all out of our control,” he said.

“All we can focus on is whenever we cross that white line we play to the best of our ability, doing something for your teammate, jumping on a loose ball, giving up a good shot to get a great shot, those type of things.

“When you’re playing like that, it’s very fun to be around and I think everyone’s enjoying it, so we just need to make this thing last.”

Friday’s game was a physical one, which played into Norton’s hand and he filled up the stat sheet with seven points, seven assists and a career-high equalling eight rebounds.

Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson said it was great to grind out the win.

“They came out strong and physical, and we were probably a little slower on the step, and we weren’t as sharp as what we have been in the last couple of weeks,” said coach Trevor Gleeson.

“But it turned into a really good game in the last quarter, the last five minutes we were a point down.”

Once again, Bryce Cotton was huge down the stretch with three final quarter threes for the third-straight game.

He finished with a team-high 22 while John Mooney had 20 and 11 boards.

Todd Blanchfield’s 18 points and Jesse Wagstaff’s 11 were also significant.

Clint Steindl hit two threes for his nine.

Perth’s passing was the dominant feature of the game, dropping 22 dimes compared to Sydney’s nine.

The Wildcats now wait a week before they face Sydney in a grudge match at Quods Bank Arena.

Perth Wildcats 95 (Cotton 22, Mooney 20, Blanchfield 18)

Sydney Kings 89  (Ware 27, Martin 25, Moller 12)