Perth Wildcats assistant coach Ben Peterson has shared how his side planned to tackle the reunion with former Wildcat superstar Bryce Cotton following a stunning final quarter comeback.
Cotton top-scored against his former side, bagging 23 points for the Adelaide 36ers, along with seven three-pointers and assists.
However, it wasn’t enough to stop the Wildcats from storming home in the final quarter, stealing a 94-87 win at Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
Arguably, the most hotly anticipated match on the season’s schedule, Peterson has revealed that Sunday’s clash didn’t bear that same weight in the Wildcats’ locker room.
“We did a good job of making it just another game within our locker room,” he said.
“When you play someone of that calibre, you’ve got to be locked in and all your attention is on trying to slow that guy down.
“It was cool to see our guys interact with Bryce and obviously, there’s a ton of respect and love for him from our locker room. He’s done a ton for the organisation, and he’s a great player.”
New recruit David Duke Jnr. was given the task on the five-time NBL MVP just two games into his NBL career with the Wildcats, and was well-supported by a swath of teammates.
The collective defence, lead by Duke Jnr. made it difficult for Cotton to get going and was kept to nine points at halftime, comprised entirely of three-pointers.
He was also kept off the free-throw line the entire game – something not done by any side for 25 games.
Peterson says the former Spur will be a key part of the Wildcats’ equation as the season goes on.
“He’s been great with us. Great dude and fits in seamlessly,” he said.
“He plays hard, can really defend, get downhill, and he’s just figured things out. He’s only been here in Perth for a week.
“It’ll be cool to see him continue to come along and get more comfortable, but he’ll be a very important piece for us, like you saw the other night.”
Looking ahead, the Wildcats will host the Breakers at RAC Arena this Saturday afternoon, and coach John Rillie and his team are not taking it lightly.
The New Zealand-based side is currently placed ninth on the table with just three wins, but Peterson warns their record is deceptive.
“The results may not be going their way, but they’re playing good basketball at the moment,” he said.
“When you have a guy like PJC [Parker Jackson-Cartwright] who’s arguably the most dynamic scorer in the league outside of Bryce, they’re always going to be tough to beat.
“We know we’re going to get a motivated team coming into RAC Arena and anyone can beat you on any night. We’ll be ready to go.”
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