Wildcats focused on maintaining momentum

The Perth Wildcats will look to maintain the momentum it’s gathered at the NBL Cup as it turns for the final stretch of its six-week stay in Melbourne.

With just two more games to go, Trevor Gleeson said it’s important to bring that momentum back to Perth next week.

“It’s good to have a finish line instead of not knowing what you’re doing from week to week,” he said.

“We’ve enjoyed this moment, we get to play basketball, something we love doing, we get to play a lot of games in a short amount of times which is fantastic.

“But now we want to head home with the right momentum. We’re playing at a good level and now it’s up to us to stay at that level and if not keep improving. That’s a challenge for every team, to keep improving throughout the season.”

The first challenge of the Wildcats Round Nine double-header is Friday night’s battle with the New Zealand Breakers.

The Breakers have won three of their last four games, and Gleeson is looking forward to the next chapter of the two club’s fierce rivalry.

“Where Perth and New Zealand are on the ladder, it really doesn’t matter. It’s irrelevant. The games are always hotly contested with the rich history that we have against the Breakers, I expect it to be much the same on Friday night.”

The Wildcats and Breakers have remarkably won 10 of the last 11 NBL titles, with three Grand Final series fought out between the two clubs in that time.

New Zealand are coming off a thrilling buzzer-beating win over the Cairns Taipans on Wednesday, despite missing star Corey Webster.

Webster, and his brother Tai, have done the majority of the damage for the Breakers this season.

Tai Webster is averaging 21.3 points and Corey 18.1.

Tip-off on Friday is at the early time of 2pm on ESPN and SBS on Demand.