BasketBall

Coach Says Win Was Unbelievable

Sunday 7th February 2010

Author: LMSC

Photographer:

After labelling his charges as soft less than 24 hours prior, Perth Wildcats coach Rob Beveridge has praised his team for their remarkable efforts during their scintillating come-from-behind extra time win over the Melbourne Tigers on Saturday night.

Having seemingly imploded in the previous two games of their horror three match road double against Cairns and the Gold Coast, the Cats managed reverse the trend in their final away fixture of the season against Melbourne with a dramatic final term.

Heading into the final period down by four points, Perth overcame all the odds to mount a 13-9 fourth quarter comeback and send the game into overtime.

Having already played two losing games in the previous two nights, the Wildcats mustered every bit of energy they could gather to fly home and secure a six point victory.

With the Wollongong Hawks having done Perth a favour downing the Gold Coast Blaze on the same night, the Tigers result propelled Perth back into top spot on the NBL ladder.

It was a result Beveridge said was one of the club’s best.

"Under the adversity - the travel, the injuries - it's unbelievable,'' Beveridge told the Sunday Times.

The coach left his biggest praise for the team’s skipper Shawn Redhage. Having had a forgetful night in the upset loss to Cairns two nights earlier, Redhage rebounded with 17 points and 4 rebounds despite having to deal with a nasty cut to his neck.

"It was one of the gutsiest performances I've seen from our captain tonight,'' Beveridge said.

Perth’s hope of securing the minor premiership had seemingly taken a fatal blow after the team suffered a shock loss to bottom placed Cairns on Wednesday night before giving up top spot to second place Gold Coast on Friday after leading for most of the match.

Beveridge was scathing in his assessment of his players after those defeats, calling his team as “soft as putty”.

But having called into question his side’s mental toughness just hours prior, his young team responded in the best possible fashion.

"If you want to be a legitimate playoff team you've got to have something from within and I think we showed that tonight,' he said.'

Captain Redhage was well backed by American guard Kevin Lisch who also sunk 17 points while Jesse Wagestaff and Stephen Weigh dropped 10 each.

Perth centre Luke Schenscher also won the battle of the boards pulling down a game high 15 to give the visitors the edge.

For Melbourne, import Julius Hodge scored 24 and Mike Rose 12.

With only one round of the NBL home and away season to go, Perth’s destiny is own firmly in their own hands.

The currently sit on top of the table with a 16-11 record but have played one more game than second placed Townsville Crocs (15-11) and third placed Gold Coast Blaze (15-11).

With both the Crocs (Adelaide on Wednesday, Perth on Sunday) and the Blaze (New Zealand on Thursday and Melbourne on Saturday) playing two road doubles in the final round, the scene is set for a Cats minor premiership.

Perth need to win their final game against the Crocs, and hope the Blaze drop at least one game, to ensure they finish the season in the number one spot. Should the Blaze win both games they will jump ahead having defeated Perth three times this year.