Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Former NBA journeyman Brandon Knight has pulled off two huge plays at the death to lift the Perth Wildcats to a pulsating 103-102 win over Melbourne United at RAC Arena.
In a thrilling finish to Friday night’s match in Perth, United guard Cole Anthony thought he had given his team a three-point lead with 19.5 seconds remaining when he nailed a tough lay-up.
But the American was left incensed when he was called for a charge – his fifth foul of the match – with Knight the hero after bravely putting his body on the line as Anthony charged to the hoop.
Knight followed up that play by nailing a tough pull-up jump shot with just 8.4 seconds remaining.
That shot gave the Wildcats a one-point lead, but United still had time to pull off a match-winning play.
Joe Ingles couldn’t get off a shot under tough attention from the Wildcats’ defence, but the ball found its way to Luke Travers on the perimeter.
Travers unleashed the shot just before the siren sounded, but it bounced out much to the relief of the screaming home crowd.
Knight, who missed the start of the season after being a late signing, finished with 20 points in his best match since joining the Wildcats.
“This is going to show that his confidence is growing,” Wildcats star Kristian Doolittle said of Knight.
“We have full trust in him, and he came up clutch tonight. It was a good team win.”
Doolittle was the biggest star of the show with 23 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, while Elijah Pepper (22 points) was also huge after going scoreless in last week’s loss to Sydney.
Travers starred for Melbourne with 26 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while Josh Oduro (22 points) and Anthony (19 points) produced important contributions.
United coach Jacob Chance had used up his coach’s challenge just before the charge call against Anthony, but he didn’t have a problem with the referee’s decision.
“The call was right, we were told,” Chance said.
“If I had my challenge, it wouldn’t have made a difference – we were told by the referee we wouldn’t have won it.”
The result left Melbourne struggling at 3-5, while the Wildcats are sitting pretty at 5-2.
Ingles (11 points) hit back-to-back triples late in the first term to give Melbourne a 26-25 edge at quarter-time.
Doolittle suffered a scare late in the term when his ankle twisted after an opponent fell across his legs, but he was able to play on.
Wildcats star Dylan Windler picked up his third foul early in the second term, forcing him to the bench for an extended period.
The margin was just two points in favour of Melbourne at halftime, and although the visitors managed to extend that to seven early in the third, Doolittle’s hot form helped the Wildcats whittle it back to two by the final change.
The last quarter was a thrilling affair, and it was the Wildcats who came up with the clutch plays when it mattered most.
