Pinder misses lay up, fouls and then travels in less 60 seconds

The last game.

Clarke was 3/3 from 3 then injured his leg.

Minutes later Travers' head took out Hukporti's leg.

Forcing Vickerman to play the likes of Bowen.

The Wildcats still needed every heroics to win by OT.

United by 12

Perth not going to get a call at the basket are they??

Very good start by cats. Like what Doolittle brings

Just imagine if perth was getting as many soft touch fouls...? While the commentary is explaining how much cotton is getting held

Gaze piss off he just intentionally dropped Bryce with a raised arm, no usf...

Foul fest. This game will take 4hrs to complete

If that's an and 1 for Travers then pinder should have gone to the line every basket

Perth doing very well, I'm a neutral and refs been fine, stop the moaning and enjoy the game.

Cotton, Cotton, Cotton, unbelievable.

Ref's have lost this. Travers jumps on the shooter.... no call

Bryce looking good.

Cotton showing Goulding you need to do more than hit 3s to be MVP.
Perth more than happy to leave Travers open from the arc is pretty funny.

Angry Cotton is one of the best Cottons
A lot of credit for this explosion needs to go to Cameron

The fact Sarr is getting called for a block after the no calls at the other end tells you everything, one way whistle

This is a great game, Cotton exceptional and yet we got stupid anons complaining about refs. Enjoy the game for it overall talent at both ends.

Perth been very good but this game not over, let's see what Vickerman and United can produce and let’s just hope Cotton and his troops keep going.

Magnificent display by nbl.

50 hours spent preparing the fireworks display, so say the gushing commentators who treated it like NYE in New York. Meh.

So first Travers kicks the ball to himself then a blatant charge a block... wow

Well said Ben.

Really a usf....

Cotton gets his shoulder ripped of on a screen, then dollottle decked next play....

And gaze never questions calls against perth

What does pinder need to do to get a call?

No usf on Clark? That wasn't a play on the ball.

65-55 Cats. United don't look any chance but you never know. Enjoyable game for a neutral

Pinder again fouled no call, illi that's a charge after he threw the alleyoop. Very consistent one way calls

How can it be backcourt if it comes of the United player.... ffs

How was cotton not fouled on either of the two last plays???

Cats to good at present, cracking game.

Cotton grabbing his calf at end of third, oh boy

Anon I'm as Perth as they get but FFS enough ref sooking champ. What a ripper of a game.

Unbelievable what Bryce what can do. United must have pictures of Chris Read's wife the way he refuses to call a foul for Cotton.

Perth's defence impressive.

Thank you maxm, agreed

So one angle blury, is enough to overrule the call.... wow

You're a bad man, Travers

Marcus Lee would kill for the non calls Lual-acull gets

Cracking game, Cotton can't get open.

That's a God dam foul on the shot!! Ref's ruining this game

Pinder's Bball IQ is so low.

So think about the contact we let go on Bryce, now consider the call goukding just got. Where santa can't even find the contact...

Big Jo with a Karl Malone style foul, not usf???

The hits cotton is taking... yet not even in the bonus

This game deserves OT

Magnificent game, deserves OT, despite the whiners on here.

This is just ridiculous!! What a game

Game of the fucking season.

We've found out who the MVP is tonight.

Stop the Goulding propaganda shit.

Stop the East Coast bias.

Cotton. Is. MVP.

United depth coming through in OT.

I'm surprised you didn't say lack of ref depth.

(Wrong anon. Ignore.)

All good Perthworld ;)

That is the softest foul to send clark to the line... imagine if Bryce got that call, he would shot 100 ft a game

The undisputed player of the game is Shea "the Teflon man" Illi.

Well Perth might've beaten them when they had injuries but United needed all their depth to win this one.
Probably the GF preview.

Sarr plays 13 minutes wagstaff 28 minutes that's the game right there !!!

Cracking game, Cotton magnificent, cats were excellent, a little unlucky with a bank three in ot. Thought Travers was best for the winning side.

Cats should be top three and can cause trouble, it's a credit to them. United still favourites and have massive depth, Clark off bench compared to Usher says it all.

Usher 23 points yet may have cost Perth the game with his drive to the hoop and turnover with 25 seconds left up 4.

Perth gotta front up on Tuesday and Thursday, both away games.

Feel like Rillie has just to extend the rotation now, no way Cotton can continue playing 40min games like this.

Danger period for Perth now though, could easily go on a slide with the really tough schedule...

What a game though. Game of the season easily. So many moments.

JLA's free throws, Cotton's big shot after big shot, missed free throw from him, Goulding's three. Travers amazing. Big shots from Usher. And the roof was open!

What an advertisement for the NBL!

Yes, just had a look at the schedule, United sitting back till new year eve and cats flying all over the place, Cairns then Adelaide. Cats should still finish top four and should make it tough for the fancier teams.

Yeah. Cats might drop the one to Cairns on Boxing Day. A lot of sore players.
Not sure if they're flying home tonight or staying east.

Feel like Rillie has just to extend the rotation now, no way Cotton can continue playing 40min games like this.

Why would they fly home and be home 6 hours lol

Epic game! United with too many weapons and depth in every position in the end.

Wildcats should have closed the game out but for a lapse early in the last quarter which allowed united to get their game going.

Not for the first time too many bone head turnovers by perth and thats the game right there. Usher, Pinder, Webster the usual culprits for dumb passes. Prevent Bryce from getting the ball and Hyrum Harris is continually bringing the ball up the court. You have to take the good with the bad with some players but its this that makes them top 4 and not a championship team

Just got home from the game, was a fantastic night.
Awesome game.
Fireworks were great.
Big crowd.
Kids had an absolute ball.
Ticked all the boxes!!!

Only caught the 4th and OT, but it was still the best 15 mins of basketball I've watched this season.

Usher reminds me of Valentine in that they swing between great and terrible from possession to possession, and rarely sit between those two points.

An excellent game with great atmosphere

Perth uo 4 with 25 seconds left usher drives and turns it over when 10 seconds on the shot clock cost them the game simple

Yeah, DR, The Ush giveth, and the Ush taketh away. He did plenty right to keep us in the game but that play was a killer. At that stage it was advantage Cats to get the W and we gave it up with that unnecessary rush of blood.

Hell of a game though. Pretty decent advertisement for NBL basketball.
(Where is Jacket to tell us what a joke it was??)

Anon subbed in for Jacket who was out doing Christmas shopping.

Usher, you make me wanna...

Cotton 45:00 of playing time - I can't recall ever seeing that before. No seconds off (in Bill Belichick voice).

Great exciting game bummer to lose but rather it be a few points in OT than 20 plus in regular time. It's certainly not all Ushers fault for one drive. Pinder for example had good stats and yeh was lighting fast with the low post action early in the game but down the stretch lots of fumbles and bad shots. Butterfingers or mask in the way needs to reign it in, he has the potential to be unstoppable bar some silly decisions.

Ian Clark is the biggest difference between this team and the minor premiers of two years ago

Agreed
United 2022 vs United 2024
Ili - Ili
Delly - Delly
Goulding - Goulding
Newley - Newley
Hukporti - Hukporti
JLA - JLA
Baba - Cameron
Triplett - Prewster
Agada < Clark
White off an ACL < Travers
Peatling - Bowen

Hukporti has improved too

White was a better defender, but Travers is still a very capable defender, and brings more versatility offensively

Clark is a third go-to scorer, which was on full display in OT. In 2022 they were overly reliant on JLA and CG.

United are now into even money to win the championship, unheard of so early through a season in the NBL.

I would say United are stronger this season, cats been excellent though. Not certain anyone can get united in a best five series though.

Wondering if I should cash in.

Injuries can bring anyone undone, and Tassie are an interesting bogie team, especially with Magnay playing like this.

Odds are probably about what they should be, across the board.

"Clark is a third go-to scorer, which was on full display in OT. In 2022 they were overly reliant on JLA and CG."

Goulding was good but didn't have his greatest season that year either. Both he and Agada had some great games and some really off games. That said, if Goulding didn't get injured in the SF they were playing in the GF with home-court advantage.

Agada was good on fast breaks. He could get downhill at times, but was unreliable in a half-court scenario.

In an alternate universe where CG43 plays that SF decider, and Adams gets injured just like he did against Tassie, United would've won the title. But I think full-strength Sydney would've had our measure, even with home court advantage. A shame we didn't get to see the match up, could've been epic like NZ vs Syd 2023.

This year's United just has better balance and depth overall.

Yep, with Goulding playing at the level he is, Clark spreading the floor and Travers able to create from PF, it makes all the other players more dangerous offensively.