DrinkWise game preview: Round 11 - Wildcats v 36ers

The Wildcats and 36ers face off at Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Sunday afternoon, with both teams dealing with availability issues.

Perth will be without consistent import Kristian Doolittle, who has been ruled out after a groin injury in the opening minute of Friday night’s home loss to Illawarra.

Doolittle joins fellow big man Keanu Pinder (illness) on the sidelines.

“People around the league are finally realising the value he is at both ends of he floor,” Wildcats coach John Rillie said about Doolittle’s absence.

“When you lose him, then all of a sudden we lean on Jesse (captain Jesse Wagstaff) really heavily.

“We were getting Izan (Next Star Izan Almansa) to play a little longer than we would like because tonight was a physical game so you need to be able to throw bodies at them to compete with that.

“When both Doolittle and KP (Keanu Pinder) are out, it really does test us.”

Adelaide will also be without two of their biggest stars with sharpshooter Dejan Vasiljevic (hamstring) injured and ex-NBA giant Montrezl Harrell serving the final game of his suspension.

Gun import Kendric Davis is back from his ban in a boost for the home side.

Davis (20.91 points per game) and Wildcats Superstar Bryce Cotton (24.36) have the top-two averages in the competition for points scored.

Cotton is coming off back-to-back 40-point games including a franchise-record 59 in last week’s win over New Zealand at RAC Arena.

With Doolittle sidelined, Nominated Replacement Player Todd Withers comes into the line-up to take on his former team.

Withers has been a great inclusion this season, averaging 6.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and one steal in his seven appearances as an injury cover for the imports.

Friday night’s loss sees the Wildcats to go an even 8-8 record, but only one of those wins has been on the road.

It will be the team’s fifth double-header in a row.

Game details

Who: Perth Wildcats vs Adelaide 36ers

When: 1.30pm WST Sunday 8 December

Where: Adelaide Entertainment Centre

Watch: Live on ESPN (via Kayo or Foxtel) and 10 Bold

Opposition watch

Adelaide have a 6-7 record this season, with five of their six wins coming at home.

Like Perth, the 36ers are in the midst of a double-header, going down to Brisbane on the road on Friday night.

Prolific scorer Davis will be a huge addition after his two-game suspension, but Vasiljevic and Harrell are tough to replace.

Last time they met

Remarkably, the two teams haven’t played each other this season.

You have to go back to December 28 last year for their last match-up, when the Wildcats prevailed 100-82 at Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

Cotton starred with 24 points and six assists, while Doolittle had 19 points and five rebounds.