Stunning third quarter sees Wildcats sink Breakers

The Perth Wildcats have overcome the NZ Breakers 85-75 in a typically physical game between the two NBL rivals.

Perth took a seven-point deficit to the first break after a sluggish first quarter, but Trevor Gleeson was pleased with his team’s response.

“There was a lot pf physicality out there to start the game, we had to get the feel of the game and get into our counters, which I thought we did as the game got going,” he said.

“I thought out third quarter won it for us, just our intensity on defence, I think we created a lot of points from turnovers, we were moving the ball a little bit and setting good screens, so it was really good break for us.”

The Wildcats piled on 33 third quarter points in a game-defining stretch, which included 10 points from Todd Blanchfield.

Bryce Cotton led the Wildcats in scoring with 24 points, while John Mooney had his eighth double-double of the season with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Clint Steindl had his first double-digit game of the season with 12 points.

“The last couple of practices he’s been red-hot, flying off screens, unhampered by injury, and he was really good. Hopefully with this patch now he’ll get on a bit of a roll and we know what he can do when he gets on a roll.

Finn Delany was New Zealand’s best with a game-high 30 points.

Perth are back in action on Sunday, before returning home for the first time in seven weeks on Monday.

Tip-off on Sunday is at 1.30pm on VICELAND and SBS On Demand.

Perth Wildcats 85 (Cotton 24, Mooney 17, Steindl 12) 

NZ Breakers 75 (Delany 30, Weeks 11, Webster 11)