Day 1 Review - Crocs/Wildcats

A rare moment in the game...Rolan Roberts not fouling!

DAY ONE VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS (2 - 3 mins download time required)

The night cap from Darwin was the Perth Wildcats taking on the Townsville Crocodiles and the players did not let the large crowd on hand down.

Russell Hinder was the hero in this one as he drained a game-winning three with time expiring to see the Crocs get away with an 85-82 win.

This was a see-saw affair all night between two teams that have built up an intense rivalry over the past few years. Eight points was the largest margin at any break during the game so the fans were treated to some entertaining basketball in this clash.

New Boomer and second year Wildcat Stephen Weigh came out full of confidence as he led the Wildcats with 11 first-quarter points.

Crocs Michael Cedar and Brad Williamson keep their team in touch with seven points apiece.
In the second quarter it was Corey Williams that started to have an impact on the game as he provided some of his trademark drives to the basket. Scoring and assisting, Williams was beginning to put his footprint on the game.

For the Wildcats, Drew Williamson provided some punch off the bench with eight points in the quarter against his former team.

After the halftime break Crocs import Rolan Roberts found himself in foul trouble immediately. Three fouls in three minutes meant he had four for the game, which saw him take a seat on the bench to cool his heels. This is something that Roberts is going to have to address because he is not getting the minutes the Crocs would like to see him playing (he ended up fouling out in 14 minutes.)

Both teams started to look comfortable (a few of the games were very scrappy affairs) in the second half as the players lifted their intensity as crunch time approached.

It was that man Weigh (19 points) again who nailed a three to give the Wildcats the lead with a few minutes to go. One Williams three-point play and the scores were knotted again at 82 with under a minute to go.

The Wildcats came up short on their final possession and the Crocs had 19 seconds left to make something happen.

Williams pushed the ball and penetrated into the middle of the keyway. Surrounded by Wildcats’ jerseys, Williams found the cold as ice Hinder (previously 2-of- 11 from the field) for the game winner. Hinder stepped up and knocked in down.

Wildcats import Kevin Lisch pushed the ball and got off a decent chance but it came up short.
This end was only fitting for the game of the day.

The Crocodiles will take on the New Zealand Breakers tomorrow in a semi final matchup.

Thoughts From The Game

- There was no Damien Martin (reinjured his wrist on the recent Boomers tour of China) and Luke Schenscher (waiting for a clearance from the Los Angles Lakers) for the Wildcats.

- Peter Crawford is wearing number 71. I’m interested in finding out why?

- Martin Cattalini suffered a cut under his eye but came back into the game.

- Kevin Lisch reminds me of one time Sydney Kings import Tony Bennett. What happened to that guy?

- Corey Williams looks like he belongs in a boy band since he no longer rocks the Mohawk.