Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Brandon Knight has made a welcome return from injury to help Perth snap a four-game NBL losing streak with a gritty 98-92 win over Tasmania.
The Wildcats had some problems when they trailed by nine early in the second quarter at Perth’s RAC Arena on Thursday night and were outscored in both of the first two terms.
But they rallied impressively, outscoring the JackJumpers 26-16 in the third quarter before hanging tough in the fourth.
Knight, back from hamstring soreness, scored 23 points, while fellow imports Dylan Windler (21 points, 10 boards) and Kristian Doolittle (16) also impacted.
“When you create your own momentum, it’s amazing how things turn out for you,” Perth coach John Rillie said.
“The way we came out in the second half … the result takes care of itself.”
The JackJumpers fielded only seven players, with starting wing Nick Marshall (ankle) sidelined as the latest addition to their lengthy injury list.
Taran Armstrong top-scored for Tasmania with 20 points. Will Magnay had 19, Josh Bannan 18 and Dakota Mathias 17.
Knight and 40-year-old Jesse Wagstaff came off the bench to energise the Wildcats in a frenetic, up-and-down opening period.
Tasmania scored the last four points of the term to edge ahead 21-19 before Kody Stattman got on a roll early in the second, the Jackies moving ahead 30-21 courtesy of a 13-2 run either side of quarter-time.
The visitors were finding open looks against a spotty Perth defence, while Bannan was proving a handful in the paint, Tassie up 48-43 at halftime.
The Wildcats needed to lift after intermission – and they did, starting the quarter with a 13-4 surge to edge in front.
The two teams continued swapping the lead, before Perth finally earned some breathing room with the last seven points of the term, capped by Windler’s off-balance fall-away on the three-quarter-time siren for a 69-64 lead.
Tasmania started the fourth quarter with a succession of offensive fouls and turnovers, as Perth built on their momentum.
Windler’s three-point bomb from the logo stretched the Wildcats advantage to 85-71.
The undermanned JackJumpers didn’t run out of gas, though, closing the gap to 96-90 before Bannan and Mathias both missed open threes inside the last 30 seconds.
“The third quarter was obviously an important separation period when we just couldn’t get things done,” Tasmania coach Scott Roth said.
“But our guys’ fight was incredible all night.”
