Wildcats won’t back down against Sydney

The Perth Wildcats face ladder-leaders Sydney Kings on Friday night and will look to improve their performance from the last time they met, falling 87-108 at Qudos Bank Arena.

TaShawn Thomas said the Wildcats will not be backing down.

“One thing JR has been focusing on is just reminding us to not back down,” he said.

“It’s still a challenge and we feel pretty confident going in, we’re just going to play the hardest we can and that’s the positivity we’re bringing into the game.

“They’re playing the best basketball, they’re a very talented team but I don’t think they’re unbeatable, every team in this team is talented, we just have to perform on the night.”

Thomas was unhappy with how he played on Sydney’s Xavier Cooks the last time these two team met, but said he’s focused on slowing him down.

“He was a focus last game, and I don’t like what I did last time,” he said.

“Coming in this time, I’m definitely trying to critique myself into trying to do what I need to do to slow him down.”

Following an injury to start the season, Thomas said he’s now in much better shape.

“I feel like I’m definitely in better shape now,” he said.

“I kind of had a slow start with my little injury but now that I’m past that I’m not trying to think about it anymore, I’m just trying to focus on trying to be in the best shape I can going into playoffs.

The Perth Wildcats take on Sydney Kings at RAC Arena on Friday night, tip-off at 6:30pm WST.

Wildcats great Shawn Redhage will have his number 42 jersey raised to the rafters in the Arena post-game.