Well the season starts on Thursday night but the Wildcats kick off on Saturday night against the Jackies.
Perth left it til the death to get their Bryce Cotton replacement and early indications are it could be worth the wait signing this years G League finals MVP 6ft 4 point guard Mason Jones.
Lit up the old Challenge Stadium in a pre season tournament against a high level Japanese team with seven 3 pointers if you don’t mind. Looks all class.
Excited to have the big 7 footer Perth raised South Sudanese star Jo Lual Acuil jr in a Wildcats singlet. Had to pay the big bucks to get him but well worth the coin.
Big news today that Wildcats have sacked Mason Jones
they’ve become a bit loopy this mob
ever since Jack sold them it’s been a downhill slide
apparently they needed a full court general to run the show
but hired a veteran shooter
You aren’t wrong Southerner. Been a shambles since Jack passed the reigns. Happy they got Sunday and JLA back where they grew up but the Cotton fiasco and finding a replacement has been a shambles.
I’m in two minds about Cotton, he’s been trashing Perth Wildcats ever since well it takes two to tango is where I am at on that one. My gut is he wanted out anyway and was looking for an excuse.
That will make it 7 or is it 8 imports that have already been cast aside just 5 or 6 games in depending which club you follow.
But Mason Jones looked slow to me without any real tricks and that was when I watched his highlights as soon as he was announced. The G League must play bruise free basketball. Was a bit too physical for poor Mason. Showed bad body language all through except the pre season game against the Japanese team where we saw G League Jones.
peculiar thing is
less than 4 days previously
they put out a statement to lay off Mason Jones’
saying that scoring isn’t everything and it’ll be allright
they are good
sounds familiar to the Cotton disgrace
they just thought Bryce would play for them
after not putting the coin up for naturalism purposes
there is no way Jack Bendat would have allowed Bryce Cotton to just be trashed
Well Adelaide are learning that every game evolves around Bryce. Produced 53 points against a weakened Cairns team without their two best players but struggled to win by 5 points.
Let’s chill out and see what the Wildcats can find out there. They’ll learn from the Mason Jones mistake. When Perth found Bryce Cotton they were bottom or second last in the table and turned it around to win a famous championship.
Not expecting that. Melbourne look unbeatable right now.
Yep they looked dishevelled today especially after their best player Windler stepped on Doolittles’ foot and rolled his ankle and played no further part. Windler went out of the game with 2min 44s remaining in the 1st qtr.
Making Doolittle the central piece says everything about the current lack of leadership on and off the court. The fact that Rillie went that way shows that he, nor the owner, have any clue at all. the Cats will be no good while Doolittle and or Rillie are leading this team.
Doolittle put his big boy pants on tonight with 18 points, 8 rebounds, 4 boards and 2 steals. Finally saw Pepper live up to the hype. 70% from the field for 18 points. More of that please. Sunday Dech knocking down triples. Been woeful from outside the arc all season until tonight. Nearly everyone got a lick of the icecream tonight.
Spanked the snakes 110 to 78 without Dylan Windler. All the hype and obsession with precious Bryce Cotton dropping 53 on the weekend against Cairns but only won by 5. No Bryce No Worries.
And here in lies the problem. When everything revolves around Doolittle he is a far better player, when he gets the game to suit. But up against the better teams they wont allow it to happen and then his frustration and attitude impacts the team badly. Whoever the new import is needs to be the floor general, with speed and an outside shot.
Bit strange news coming through the Wildcats are in advanced talks with another 6ft 4" combo guard similar to Jones but averaging a lot less points in the G League which looks like a bruise free league to me.
David Duke jr. Looks slightly more athletic than Jones and a few more moves but I’m looking for quick razzle dazzle type point guard.
the biggest key is that everyone was recruited around Bryce Cotton
it’s difficult then to bag the recruits for not being capable when he is gone
Yes they do have to recruit a general so the parts work properly again
maybe they should have gone after Casey Prather once more
Casey is 34 now but great to see him playing great basketball. His wife Ariana brings NBA level class and commentary. She’s an Emmy award winner ex WNBA player herself.
Can remember when I first heard her I did a double take what what? Replay and Google. She’s a star. Quite funny when she interviewed Casey recently she asked what do you want for your birthday? He said maybe a couple of back rubs… maybe a couple of other things I can’t say here but we’ll talk about that later.
Last night at the Cairns game she was dressed in a leopard dress. Damon Lowery said (from the studio)what are you doing up there Ariana looking like Wilma Flintstone? Ariana absolutely lost it. Great banter. Love Damon Lowery commentary he calls Jaren Rillie his dad’s seed.
Confirmed 26 year old David Duke jr coming to Perth. Has played 55 NBA games across 4 seasons on two way contracts. He no longer qualifies for two way contracts so the time was right for him to explore overseas options. Tried out for the Phoenix Suns in the summer league.
Looks like a slightly smaller but still 6ft 3" more athletic version of Mason Jones.
Doolittle masterclass poured on 15 points in the last qtr to break the game open for the Cats against the in form Breakers. Bit worried though with the coaches kid Jaren Rillie out for up to 8 weeks and Dech didn’t see any court time. Had to be injured hopefully not another calf.
What a massive choke that was, up by 21 points for periods in the 3rd qtr and a 3/4 time 18 point lead. 4 or 5 minutes to go still a 16 point lead when Mike Wells calls a time out and unloads expletives at his team that they need 3’s.
Cats players choked down the stretch and I’ve been saying all season JLA will cost us a game with his shite free throw shooting. Well this was it. 33.75% from the stripe. The second Bryce replacement they brought in to replace the first dud is another dud. 33% from the field for 2’s, 25% from 3 and that’s after he made two 3’s with his first two shots.
One of the most embarrassing losses in Wildcats history that one.
The chickens are coming home to roost for the Wildcats owner Mark Arena, roster manager Danny Mills and coach John Rillie who HAD TO HAVE a big say in the Cotton decision.
The cracks are now widening and it’s only going to get worse. This roster is shit. JLA is not worth a million bucks. Maybe that’s why they can’t find a high quality 3rd import. They haven’t got room in the salary cap for the better ones.
Trevor Gleeson’s contract is coming to an end in Japan. They should throw the kitchen sink at him and if that means we lose Johnn Rillies’ kid then so be it. But I read today that Trevor isn’t too impressed that the Wildcats basically waved Cotton on so maybe he doesn’t want to come back to this organisation which as changed ownership twice since Trevor left.
the guy that scorched them the other night was available to buy
Arena wouldn’t do it
did the same for Cotton
he’s the reason it’s going to the tip
and fast
