Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
Chris Pike

Wildcats and JackJumpers join United in NBL title race

Bryce Cotton, virtually unbackable as MVP favourite, is inspiring the Wildcats' chase of United. (Rob Prezioso/AAP PHOTOS)

In just one night, the NBL championship race has been blown open with emphatic victories for the second-placed Perth Wildcats and third-placed Tasmania JackJumpers.

It's certainly not time to panic for leaders Melbourne United who lost 107-86 to the JackJumpers at Hobart's MyState Bank Arena on Friday, but the shock loss does open up the title battle.

Melbourne remain favourites, sitting clear in first place still with a 16-6 record, but that regular season championship is no longer guaranteed after the wins for the Wildcats and JackJumpers.

The 'Cats improved to 14-7 on a five-game winning streak with a 118-86 hammering of the Brisbane Bullets - a team on a four-game winning streak themselves - at their RAC Arena home in Perth. 

It was a night for statements from the two teams seen as the biggest threats to Melbourne for the championship. 

Tasmania had been struggling, losing six of the last eight games, but everything clicked as they handed United their biggest loss of the season.

While Melbourne being without key pair Shea Ili and Jo Lual-Acuil certainly played a part, the JackJumpers were superb with Jordon Crawford putting up 25 points, Jack McVeigh 23, and Marcus Lee and Will Magnay providing an impressive centre combination.

Coach Scott Roth liked the performance but knows they need to back it up in New Zealand next Friday.

"Our work is there every single day and the game results are going to be different from game to game," he said.

"I'd love to say we're going to steamroll through the rest of the way out there, but the league is just too good to do that.

"You have to just stay on point and we've been in a lot of close battles, and haven't got a few of those across the line, but hopefully this is a little bit of momentum for us."

The Wildcats were irresistible as they put up 118 points for their biggest score of the season and recorded their biggest win of NBL24.

Perth proved dominant, despite missing important duo Alex Sarr and Kristian Doolittle.

Bryce Cotton was again brilliant and is now an unbackable favourite for a fourth MVP title, but every Wildcats player who hit the floor scored with Tai Webster, Keanu Pinder, Jordan Usher and Michael Harris especially impressive.

Coach John Rillie isn't getting too carried away, but is noticing the chemistry building with the 'Cats on a roll ahead of playing in Sydney against the Kings on Sunday.

"We're gelling nicely and our guys enjoy being around each other so they want to see everyone be successful," he said.

"They really do appreciate the strengths of each other, that's the thing that I love about this group.

"They're worried about the strengths of each other."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.