Rillie’s masterstroke: Small ball sparks Wild comeback
Written By
Chris Pike for NBL.com.au
John Rillie knew he had to try something.
It was half-time at RAC Arena and the Wildcats were staring down the barrel of a fifth straight loss to Melbourne United, their season fizzling out with barely a whimper.
They were 14 points down, they could have easily ended up losing by 30, or more. But would that margin really matter? In Finals, a loss is a loss. Perth’s season was on the line, and it was time to call an audible.
The ‘Cats went small. Rillie backed in the back court of Tai Webster and Ben Henshall to get the job done, with Dylan Windler and Kristian Doolittle up front, and Bryce Cotton doing everything he could to contribute, despite being hounded by Shea Ili.
The signs were there in the third. The Wildcats finished the quarter with a 10-3 run to reduce the margin to 11 with one to play. There was a way to go, but the momentum was starting to shift and the crowd was starting to get involved.
Then, Dylan Windler took over, lifting his team with a huge individual display, and the likes of Tai Webster and Ben Henshall played vital roles.
Perth outscored Melbourne 33 points to 15 to win 96-89 and forced a deciding Game 3 back in Melbourne on Tuesday.
Rillie paid tribute to his playing group for sticking with it and finding a way to get it done without relying on match-winning Pinder or Cotton outbursts.
“We hadn’t played good for 60 minutes in the series, but everyone has commented on how powerful our offence can be,” Rillie said.
“We had been very pedestrian up to that point, so I felt like we would have our moment at some stage for that bubble to burst, so it was about keeping guys believing in that.
“Giving them (the players) credit, in every timeout our mentality as a group to just chip away and stay with it, and to fight, was unbelievable.”
It was different players stepping up, with five-time MVP Cotton still doing what he could with 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists, despite the efforts of Ili.
Webster was outstanding with his confidence and energy for 13 points in 21 minutes.
Henshall might very well have had the best one-point game he’ll ever have, where despite missing all seven of his shot attempts, he was influential in Chris Goulding missing his last 11 three-point efforts.
Then there was Windler and Doolittle in the fourth. The import pair combined for 17 points and seven rebounds on 6/7 shooting, to be instrumental in the stunning turnaround.
And captain Jesse Wagstaff’s physical presence can’t be understated, providing a scoring option when it seemed everyone else was a little off the boil in the first half.
“All year I’ve been preaching to our team that everyone is going to get a moment or an opportunity, and all you have to do is do your job,” Rillie said.
“What your job is, is to play to the best of your ability and you saw Tai Webster with a great example of that, Doolittle stuck with it and Dylan with his second half.
“You look at Ben Henshall’s stat-line (one-point), but he did a phenomenal job chasing Chris around all night, and it’s not always going to be pretty, but the uglier it got actually the better I felt about us, because we just kept fighting to give ourselves a chance.”
There has been moments throughout the season where Cotton has been unstoppable and Pinder dominant, but Rillie loves to see others step up.
It was Windler’s time in that second half with him finishing with 27 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, four blocks and two steals while hitting 6/7 from downtown.
“One of the beautiful things about this team is that they actually really embrace everyone’s success when they have their moment,” Rillie said.
“When someone’s rolling or we feel like we can capitalise on their brilliance, we want to go to that and we’re fortunate enough to have guys that have that dynamic playmaking and scoring ability amongst our group.”
Full of confidence, the Wildcats now travel to Melbourne for the Series decider, live on ESPN from 7.30pm AEDT on Tuesday night.
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Mitsubishi Match Recap: NBL25 Playoff Series Game 3 v Perth Wildcats
Written By
Melbourne United Media
Melbourne United have outlasted the Perth Wildcats in Game 3 of their Playoff Series on Tuesday evening.
United started the game well, as Matthew Dellavedova scored off an offensive rebound for the first bucket of the game.
Hot shooting from Chris Goulding and Ian Clark followed this, however Perth’s stars found success at the other end, drawing fouls and connecting on their long-range looks to pull ahead by as many as 14 points.
Tanner Krebs was able to cut the margin to 11 in the final play of the period, sinking a triple to beat the buzzer.
Looking to shoot their way back into the game, Clark and Goulding took the game into their own hands, connecting on seven shots from beyond the arc to help retake the lead.
The duo combined for 42 first-half points, bringing the Melbourne crowd to their feet.
Perth’s MVP Bryce Cotton was able to hit back, pushing the visitors back in front 62-58 heading into the major break.
Jack White immediately made an impact coming out of half time, scoring nine points in less than three minutes to bring United back to within one point.
Clark then gave Melbourne back the lead on a pair of scores around the hoop before adding a three-pointer late in the period to put the home side in front by five points.
The Wildcats were able to tie the game, however some great hustle from Tanner Krebs led to another White triple to beat the buzzer and put United up 87-84.
The final period was full of swings, as both sides traded the lead across an intense 10 minutes.
Goulding showcased his elite level of skill and desperation, diving into the crowd to save a loose ball before cashing in from three at the other end.
In between that and another big triple, CG43 secured a chasedown block, sending the John Cain Arena crowd crazy.
Despite this, it would all come down to the final play.
With the score tied 112-112, United ran a perfect play as Dellavedova found a cutting Goulding under the hoop to draw the foul.
With the game on the line, Goulding sank his first free throw before missing the second intentionally, leaving no time for the Wildcats to respond and secure the 113-112 victory.
The victory sends United into a Championship Series for the second consecutive season. Game 1 will be on Sunday 9 March.
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Bryce Cotton and Chris Goulding Shine in NBL Semi-Final Showdown
Bryce Cotton and Chris Goulding shine in a thrilling NBL semi-final, with both teams battling for a chance at the championship.
In an exciting NBL semi-final showdown, Bryce Cotton and Chris Goulding have delivered stellar performances for their teams, with the series tied in a dramatic winner-takes-all clash.
Bryce Cotton, who had been relatively quiet in the first two games, exploded in the first quarter of this sudden death match, scoring 16 points and leading his team, Perth Wildcats, to a 37-26 lead at the break. However, Melbourne United’s Chris Goulding quickly responded, hitting six three-pointers in the second quarter, finishing the half perfect from beyond the arc. By halftime, Perth’s lead was reduced to just four points, 62-58.
In Game 1, Melbourne United had the upper hand, with a strong second half performance from Chris Goulding, who led the team to a 105-93 victory. Perth Wildcats fought back hard in Game 2, with Dylan Windler contributing a remarkable 20 points and seven rebounds in the second half to secure a 96-89 win.
For Melbourne United’s Marcus Lee, this series is personal. After missing out on last season’s championship due to an injury, Lee is determined to win a title without any asterisks.
As the series heads into its final game, both teams are giving their all, and the winner will secure a spot in the grand final, with one of the most intense NBL semi-finals in recent memory.
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