Perth Wildcats losing streak ahead of JackJumpers clash, Digi Mart USA News (Perth): The Perth Wildcats have lost four straight games, three of them at RAC Arena, and the club’s fans and critics are growing restless. Coach John Rillie, however, says he is not panicking.
Rillie said he has steered the Wildcats to the Finals in each of his four seasons in charge. He expects the team’s fortunes to change with the return of Brandon Knight on Thursday night and the expected return of Jo Lual-Acuil Jr.
within weeks.
“Do you want to go through these? Absolutely not.
But I always feel, a team, a person, life, how you respond in these moments really dictates what can happen in the future,” Rillie said on Wednesday.
Five games is the longest losing streak of Rillie’s tenure, matching a 2022 stretch when the Wildcats fell to 3-5 before recovering to make the Play-In. Expectations are higher in NBL27, but at 5-6 the challenge is similar, Rillie said.
Defence has been the focus at training, with Perth conceding 99 points or more in six straight games. Rillie said habits take time to change and that the team is still learning.
Thursday’s home game against second-placed Tasmania is the first test. Perth hosts the JackJumpers from 9:30pm AEDT at RAC Arena, live on ESPN.
