Perth Wildcats

Perth Wildcats
2016–17 Perth Wildcats season
League	NBL
Founded	1982
History	Westate Wildcats 1982–1983 Perth Wildcats 1984–present
Arena	Perth Arena
Arena Capacity	14,846
Location	Perth, Western Australia
Team colours	Red and black
General manager	Nick Marvin
Head coach	Trevor Gleeson
Team captain	Damian Martin
Ownership	Jack Bendat
Championships	7 (1990, 1991, 1995, 2000, 2010, 2014, 2016)
Retired numbers	6 (6, 7, 14, 15, 21, 30)
Website	Wildcats.com.au
Uniforms
Home Away

The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team based in Perth, Western Australia. The Wildcats compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at Perth Arena, known colloquially as "The Jungle". Their sister team, the Perth Lynx, play in the Women's National Basketball League.^[1]

The Wildcats are the highest-drawing and most successful team in the league, having won NBL championships in 1990, 1991, 1995, 2000, 2010, 2014 and 2016, placing the team three ahead of the Adelaide 36ers, Melbourne United and New Zealand Breakers. Since 1987, the Wildcats have featured in 30-straight NBL Finals, an accomplishment matched by no other professional sports team in Australia.

History

1982–1986: Early struggles

In 1979, the National Basketball League (NBL) in Australia was formed. It took another three years of lobbying by the Perth basketball community, led by personalities like Gordon Ellis, before a team in Western Australia became a reality. Formed in 1982 as the Westate Wildcats, the Wildcats became the first, and so far only, Western Australian team to compete in the NBL. The team was initially coached by Henry Daigle and captained by Mike Ellis, and they played out of Perry Lakes Basketball Stadium. They struggled to make an impact in their first season, finishing 10th with a 10–16 win/loss record.

Gordon Ellis took over as coach in 1983 and recruited forward Curtis Perry, a veteran with 480 games of the National Basketball Association (NBA) experience. While Perry arrived with a solid reputation, he was unable to make an impact in a league that was younger and faster than he was, as the Wildcats finished the season in 13th place with a 6–16 record, well out of the playoff race.

In 1984, the team was renamed the Perth Wildcats, but with coach Lynn Massey at the helm, the Wildcats finish on the bottom of the ladder (16th) with only three wins – an all-time low for the team.

A fourth coach came into the team for the 1985 season, as Jay Brehmer and imports Dan Clausen and Roland Brooks looked to lead the Wildcats to a finals berth for the first time. Behind Clausen (25.7 ppg), Brooks (23.2) and Mike Ellis (17.7),^[2] the Wildcats narrowly missed out on the post-season with a 13–13 record and an eighth-place finish. In the team's season finale on 16 August 1985, at Perry Lakes Basketball Stadium against the Adelaide 36ers,^[3] Roland Brooks scored 51 points in a 126–111 win.^[4]

The Wildcats suffered a major setback in 1986 with the loss of high-scoring forward Roland Brooks to a season-ending injury after just 10 games. Without their star import, the Wildcats struggled to be competitive as they finished the season in 12th place with an 8–18 record.

1987–1989: 'Run and Stun'

Bob Williams became owner of the Wildcats in 1986 and made a number of changes heading into the 1987 season, including moving the team out of Perry Lakes Stadium and into to the 5,000-seat Superdrome (now known as HBF Stadium). Williams also hired Cal Bruton as player/coach, and recruited imports James Crawford and Tiny Pinder to team-up with returning players such as Mike Ellis, Alan Black, Trevor Torrance and Craig Fitzsimmons.

Crawford dominated the league in 1987, averaging 33.4 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. His season was highlighted by two 50+ point games, scoring 52 points on 8 August and and 57 point on 6 September – the Wildcats all-time single game scoring record. Bruton was also instrumental in promoting the Wildcats brand to the Perth community with his 'run and stun' style of basketball,^[5] which was both exciting and fun.^[6] On the back of a highly successful regular season (fourth, 19–7), the Wildcats not only made their first finals appearance in 1987, but attained a grand final berth. Their first grand final series saw them lose 2–0 to the Brisbane Bullets. The Bullets defeated the Wildcats by one point in front of a sell-out Perth crowd in Game 1 of the three-match series, before claiming the Championship in Brisbane in Game 2 a few days later. The 1987 season marked the beginning of 30 straight years of finals appearances that still runs to this day. In addition, James Crawford became the first Wildcats player to be named in the All-NBL First Team after a stellar season.

The 1988 season saw the Wildcats drop to sixth on the ladder with a 13–11 record, and were eliminated 2–1 in their semi-finals series with the North Melbourne Giants.

Cal Bruton stepped down as coach in 1989 to concentrate solely on playing. Alan Black, who retired as a player at the end of 1988, stepped into the role. The Wildcats were forced to deal with the shocking death of player Scott Fenton and his fiancée in a car accident during the 1989 season. In his memory, Fenton's jersey (#14) became the first to be retired by the team. The Wildcats finished the 1989 season in third place with a 16–8 record. They went on to lose 2–1 in the semi-finals to the North Melbourne Giants for the second consecutive year. In Game 3 of the series, the Wildcats lost 165–110; Game 3 marked Cal Bruton's final game as a Wildcat.

1990: First championship

A new decade saw the Wildcats move once again, this time to the 8,200-seat Perth Entertainment Centre. The venue move was one of many changes in 1990. Kerry Stokes became co-owner of the Wildcats with Bob Williams, and Cal Bruton became the General Manager after retiring as a player. Eager for the team to win its first NBL championship, Bruton embarked on an active recruiting campaign during the offseason, which saw him sign star point guard Ricky Grace from the University of Oklahoma. Grace was a proven winner, having led Oklahoma to the championship game of the 1988 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. Grace teamed-up with Mike Ellis to create a dominating backcourt.

The 1990 season began with turmoil as coach Alan Black was controversially fired after only two games, and was replaced by Cal Bruton. Despite the shaky start to the season, the Wildcats recovered to finish in fifth place with a 17–9 record. Entering the finals as underdogs, the Wildcats swept the Melbourne Tigers in the elimination finals and defeated the North Melbourne Giants 2–1 in the semi-finals to reach the NBL Grand Final series for just the second time in their history. There they once again faced the Brisbane Bullets, but unlike in 1987, the Wildcats won Game 1 in Perth 112–106 behind Grace's 32 points. Brisbane tied the series at 1–1 after winning Game 2 in convincing fashion at home, 106–90. In the deciding game, the Wildcats blew the game wide open in the third quarter and were up by 20 points before the final term. They cruised to a 109–86 victory to claim their first ever NBL championship. Grace's superb grand final series earned him MVP honours.

1991: Back-to-back championships

In controversial circumstances, Cal Bruton was not retained as coach despite leading the Wildcats to a championship in 1990. He was replaced by American Murray Arnold, a former assistant coach with the Chicago Bulls. In pursuit of back-to-back championships, the Wildcats strengthened their roster considerably in the off-season with the addition of forwards Andrew Vlahov and Pete Hansen. In contrast to Bruton's 'run and stun' offense, Arnold focused heavily on defense. Arnold's Wildcats were a highly successful team, as they earned the franchise's first minor premiership in 1991 with a 22–4 record. Vlahov and Ricky Grace were subsequently named in the All-NBL First Team. In addition, Vlahov was named Rookie of the Year while Arnold was named Coach of the Year.

In the semi-finals, the Wildcats faced the Adelaide 36ers and came out victorious with a 2–0 sweep, advancing them to the NBL Grand Final series for a second straight year. In the 1991 NBL Grand Final, the Wildcats faced a young but talented Eastside Spectres team. The Wildcats had a unique opportunity to win back-to-back titles, a feat only achieved by two other teams to that point in the history of the NBL. Everything looked on track after the Wildcats defeated the Spectres in Game 1 in Melbourne by 26 points (109–83). Coming back home, the Wildcats were expected to take the title with a Game 2 victory, but behind forward Bruce Bolden, the Spectres took out a shock 86–81 win to level the series at 1–1. Bolden finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds while holding James Crawford scoreless. Crawford bounced back in Game 3 with 19 points and 14 rebounds, leading the Wildcats to a 90–80 win and back-to-back championships. Pete Hansen was named the MVP of the series for his consistency over the three games.

1992–1994: Remaining in contention

The Wildcats entered the 1992 season looking to become the first NBL team to secure a hat-trick of championships. The season, however, was disrupted by persistent injuries to several key players. The Wildcats were also thrown into turmoil when they lost Tiny Pinder for the season following his arrest and subsequent conviction. Pinder had been a vital cog to the Wildcats success since his arrival in 1987. His abrupt departure left the frontcourt lacking depth, and as a result of the turbulent season, the Wildcats finished in sixth place with a 12–12 record and lost to the Melbourne Tigers in the quarter-finals.

Mike Ellis decided to retire following the 1992 season after 302 NBL games, all of them as captain of the Wildcats. He averaged 12.6 points and 5.3 assist per game over his career. His jersey (#6) was later retired by the Wildcats. The Wildcats also parted ways with coach Murray Arnold following the 1992 season, and appointed Dr. Adrian Hurley heading into the 1993 season. Hurley brought significant experience to the team, having been coach of the Australian Boomers and having established the basketball program at the Australian Institute of Sports (AIS). Looking to bolster the frontcourt with more muscle and height, the Wildcats nabbed two-time NBL MVP Scott Fisher. Martin Cattalini also joined the squad, while Andrew Vlahov took over as captain.

The 1993 season was a highly successful one for the Wildcats. Behind Fisher, Vlahov, Grace and Crawford, the Wildcats clinched first place with a 21–5 record. They lost the opening game in both the elimination finals against the North Melbourne Giants and the semi-finals against the Brisbane Bullets. On both occasions, they were able to rebound from adversity to claim a 2–1 series win. The 1993 NBL Grand Final saw the Wildcats take on the Melbourne Tigers, a team looking for their first championship. Often described as the best Grand Final series in the history of the NBL,^[6] the Tigers defeated the Wildcats 2–1. The championship came down to the final few seconds of Game 3 when Vlahov attempted a three-point shot to tie the game with only seconds remaining. However, after doing two full revolutions around the basket, the ball rolled out, denying the Wildcats a chance at claiming a third championship. Despite being on the losing team, Ricky Grace was named the MVP of the series.

A lacklustre 1994 season saw the Wildcats finish in sixth place with a 16–10 record, and earn a 2–0 defeat in the quarter-finals by the South East Melbourne Magic. Rookie guard Aaron Trahair was unveiled in 1994 and displayed the potential to become a future star, while Wildcats stalwart Eric Watterson retired at the end of the season and Trevor Torrance departed to continue his career with the Gold Coast Rollers in 1995.

1995: Third championship

Following a disappointing 1994 season, the Wildcats looked to recruit a pure sharp shooter to stretch opposing defenses and free up more room in the low post for the likes of Scott Fisher, James Crawford and Andrew Vlahov to operate in. Anthony Stewart was signed from the Hobart Tassie Devils to fill this role. Joining Stewart in the backcourt was Ricky Grace and Aaron Trahair, while Martin Cattalini rounded out the eight-man rotation used by coach Adrian Hurley.

The Wildcats were highly successful in 1995, as they complied a league-best record of 19 wins and 7 losses and moved on to their fifth Grand Final series after defeating the Melbourne Tigers in the quarter-finals and the Adelaide 36ers in the semi-finals. The 1995 NBL Grand Final saw the Wildcats matched up with the North Melbourne Giants, a talented team featuring NBA champion Chris Jent, formerly of the Houston Rockets. The Giants stunned the Wildcats in the opening game in front of a capacity crowd at the Perth Entertainment Centre, winning 104–97. With their backs against the wall, the Wildcats travelled to Melbourne hoping to even up the series. Trailing 53–45 at half-time, the Wildcats ramped up its defensive effort to take the win 97–88. The Wildcats continued their strong defensive effort in Game 3, holding the Giants to 15 points in the first quarter while scoring 30 themselves. Paced by James Crawford's magnificent 32 points (shooting at 83%), 10 rebounds and five blocked shots, the Wildcats blitz the Giants to run out eventual winners 108–88. Vlahov was named the MVP of the series for his consistency over the three games.

The Wildcats' championship win booked themselves a trip to London to play in the McDonald's Championship, an international tournament featuring the best clubs in the world. The Wildcats lost to the Houston Rockets 116–72 in their first game of the tournament, but defeated Real Madrid 93–86 in their second game. Upon returning from London, Martin Cattalini departed Perth and signed with the Adelaide 36ers, seeking a bigger role and more playing time.

1996–1999: Injury-plagued seasons

The 1996 Wildcats were one of the strongest and deepest teams on paper in the history of the franchise. The team featured Todd Lichti, an NBA veteran of 237 games, Scott Fisher, who became an Australian citizen, and Pete Hansen, who returned to the team as an import. Centre Gavin Vanderputten also joined the squad alongside the team's core of Grace, Vlahov, Crawford, Fisher, Stewart and Trahair. The Wildcats dropped from minor premiers in 1995 to third in 1996 with a 16–10 record. They went on to lose 2–1 in a close quarter-final series encounter with the Adelaide 36ers after Fisher blew out his knee in Game 1 and was ruled out for the remainder of the series. In a disappointing end to the season, rising star Aaron Trahair left the team in the offseason.

The 1997 season became the testimonial season for James Crawford who was expected to retire following the season. Although 1997 had been touted as Crawford's retirement year, he continued to play until injury forced him out during the 1998–99 season. 1997 was another injury-plagued year for the Wildcats. Scott Fisher missed the entire season after requiring knee reconstructive surgery to repair his knee. He later returned for the final two playoff games. Forward George Banks was signed as an import and then released after seven games for failing to perform to expectations. Former Newcastle Falcons centre David Van Dyke was subsequently signed to replace Banks. Van Dyke blocked 12 shots in a game during 1997, an all-time franchise record. The Wildcats finished the year in fourth spot with 17 wins and 13 losses, and went on to defeat the Brisbane Bullets 2–0 in the quarter-finals. With Crawford injured, the Wildcats could not overcome the South East Melbourne Magic and were eliminated 2–0 in the semi-finals. As a result, the Wildcats parted ways with coach Hurley following the 1997 season.

1998 produced a surprise with Alan Black returning to the team as head coach. A mid-season import change saw Thomas Hill replaced by Dwayne Michaels, as the Wildcats finished in third place with 17 wins and 13 losses. After defeating the Illawarra Hawks 2–0 in the quarter-finals, the Wildcats were eliminated 2–0 by the Adelaide 36ers in the semi-finals.

The 1998–99 season transitioned the move of the NBL season from winter to summer. Injuries and retirements affected the on-court success of the Wildcats, with club legend James Crawford retiring six games into the season after sustaining an injury. Crawford played 371 games for the Wildcats, averaging 20.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. His jersey (#7) was later retired by the team. Todd Lichti also managed just six games due to injury, while import Clint McDaniel played in 14 games before he too suffered a season-ending injury. Despite the injury setbacks, the 1998–99 season also saw the emergence of new talent. Franchise centre Paul Rogers was signed upon returning from a successful stint at Gonzaga University, while future stars James Harvey and Stephen Black, Alan Black's son, joined the team as rookies. Ravaged by injuries, the Wildcats finished in sixth place with 13 wins and 13 losses. Able to field just eight healthy players, the Wildcats were eliminated 2–0 in the elimination finals by the Adelaide 36ers.

2000: Fourth championship

Heading into the 1999–2000 season, Perth Wildcats owner Kerry Stokes decided to pass on the reins of the franchise to basketball great Luc Longley, fresh off being a three-time NBA championship winner with the Chicago Bulls, and Andrew Vlahov. The new ownership duo proved to be an instant success, with the Wildcats finishing the regular season in third spot with a 22–6 record and securing an unprecedented fourth championship in April 2000, defeating the Victoria Titans 2–0 in the Grand Final series. The Wildcats were led by import Marcus Timmons (Grand Final MVP) and regular-season MVP Paul Rogers – Rogers became the first Wildcat to win the MVP award.

The 2000s: Dormant years

After back-to-back elimination final defeats in 2001 and 2002, the Wildcats returned to their old home, the Superdrome (now HBF Stadium), for the 2002–03 season. The Perth Entertainment Centre was a popular venue for the Wildcats thanks to its central CBD location. The Superdrome, or Challenge Stadium as it became known, was a suburban-based arena and could only hold 5,000 compared to the 8,000-seat Perth Entertainment Centre.

Following the retirement of Andrew Vlahov, Ricky Grace became captain of the Wildcats for the 2002–03 season. Behind coach Alan Black and captain Ricky Grace, the Wildcats finished second on the ladder with a 22–8 record and advanced through to their seventh NBL Grand Final series where they faced the Sydney Kings. There the Wildcats were swept 2–0 by the Kings.

Mike Ellis was appointed head coach of the Wildcats for the 2003–04 season after the team parted ways with Alan Black.^[7] In his lone season as coach of the Wildcats, Ellis guided the team to their first losing season since 1986, as they finished in seventh spot with a 15–18 record and were knocked out in the quarter-finals. Ellis was replaced the following season by another former player, Scott Fisher.^[8] The 2004–05 season saw the end of an era as captain Ricky Grace played his last game of his career with the Wildcats on 24 February 2005. Grace was the only remaining member of all the Wildcats' championships and had been an integral part of the team for 15 years.

With Grace retired, the 2005–06 season saw veteran player Tony Ronaldson become captain of the Wildcats, while future club legend Shawn Redhage joined the team after a failed stint with the New Zealand Breakers in 2004. During the season, in February 2006, West Australian businessman Jack Bendat became the Chairman and majority shareholder of the franchise. Although no longer the majority shareholder, Andrew Vlahov remained in control of the team as the Managing Director.^[9][10] For the 2006–07 season, Paul Rogers replaced Ronaldson and became the fifth player to captain the Wildcats.^[9] Following the 2007–08 season, head coach Scott Fisher departed the Wildcats in order to return to the United States for personal reasons. He was eventually replaced by his assistant, Connor Henry, whose tenure at the Wildcats lasted only one season.^[9]

Between 2003–04 and 2008–09, the Wildcats had consistent post-season appearances, but failed to progress beyond the semi-finals. American forward Shawn Redhage became known as the 'scoring machine' during this time as he averaged over 19 points per game in each of his first four seasons as a Wildcat. Scott Fisher's time with the Wildcats saw him produce many stalwart players alongside Redhage and Rogers, with the likes of Brad Robbins, Peter Crawford, Alex Loughton, Matthew Burston and Liam Rush.

2009–2013: Beveridge/Lisch era

2009–10 season: Fifth championship

Following the 2008–09 season, Conor Henry was replaced by former Sydney Spirit head coach Rob Beveridge.^[11] Beveridge was instrumental in recruiting a wave of new talent for the Wildcats, including future stalwarts Damian Martin, Jesse Wagstaff, Stephen Weigh and Drew Williamson. He also brought in centre Luke Schenscher and 1995 Wildcats championship squad member Martin Cattalini. Paul Rogers relinquished the captaincy heading into the 2009–10 season, handing over the reins to Shawn Redhage.^[12]

Beveridge choose to go with just one import for his inaugural season at the helm of the Wildcats, signing rookie guard Kevin Lisch. However, an early season-ending injury to Rogers saw the Wildcats recruit a second import in Galen Young for the second half of the season. Lisch struggled to make his mark in his first season of professional basketball, scoring over 20 points just one time during the regular season and having multiple single-digit scoring games. The month of February saw Lisch step up his game heading into finals, as he helped the Wildcats finish the regular season in first place on the ladder with a 17–11 record. He led the Wildcats to a 2–0 sweep of the Gold Coast Blaze in the semi-finals, which advanced them to the Grand Final series against the Wollongong Hawks. The series went to three matches, where the Wildcats stormed home in Game 3 on the back of Lisch's Grand Final MVP performance. The win gave the Wildcats their fifth, record-breaking NBL championship.^[9] Lisch's 29-point effort in Game 3 was a season high and highlighted his brilliance over the final seven games of the season, a stretch where he averaged 18.3 points per game (compared to his 12.1 overall ppg average).

2010–11 season

The retirements of Cattalini and Rogers followed the championship win,^[13] while Brad Robbins was elevated to co-captain with Redhage. The Wildcats title defence in 2010–11 suffered numerous setbacks as the season progressed, including prolonged injuries to key players Matthew Knight and Jesse Wagstaff, and a season-ending injury to Redhage (who had not missed a match since joining the Wildcats). American import Andre Brown and Sudanese-Australian Ater Majok were signed to help the Wildcats with their loss of their big men, but they were unable to fill the void. The Wildcats stumbled into the finals with a fourth-place finish and a 16–12 record, extending their active finals streak to 25 consecutive years. Drawn to play the first-seeded New Zealand Breakers in the semi-finals, the Wildcats recorded an upset victory in Game 1 in Auckland, winning 101–78. Game 2 in Perth was a tight affair that saw Kirk Penney dominate for the Breakers, as they levelled the series at 1–1 with a 93–89 win. The Breakers went on to knock the Wildcats out of the championship race with a 99–93 win in Game 3 in Auckland.

2011–12 season

As Shawn Redhage made a welcome return to the line-up after recovering from a potentially career-ending hip injury,^[14] 7'2" centre Luke Nevill was signed to bolster the Wildcats frontcourt.^[15] Kevin Lisch had a breakout season in 2011–12, as he earned the NBL MVP award^[16] after playing in all 28 regular season games and averaging 17.6 points while shooting at 45.3% from the field. The Wildcats finished second in 2011–12 behind the New Zealand Breakers with a 19–9 record and qualified for their ninth NBL Grand Final series after defeating the Gold Coast Blaze 2–1 in a physical semi-final series.

The 2012 Grand Final series saw the Wildcats take on the New Zealand Breakers. Game 1 in Auckland went to the Breakers as they claimed a 104–98 overtime win. Game 2 in Perth was a classic contest with the Wildcats bouncing back with an 87–86 win after Shawn Redhage blocked C. J. Bruton in the dying seconds to give the Wildcats the win.^[17][18] But despite the momentum that Redhage's block gave the Wildcats, the Breakers won 79–73 in Game 3 to clinch the series.

2012–13 season

With the departure of Luke Nevill during the 2012 offseason, little-used big man Jeremiah Trueman stepped into the back-up centre role. In addition, Everard Bartlett, a short-term injury replacement player in 2011–12, signed a two-year deal. Injury and retirements threatened to destabilise the season. With an injury to Matthew Knight early in the season, Michael Dunigan was signed as an injury replacement.^[19] In his short four-game stint, Dunigan excited fans with an array of blocks and crowd pleasing dunks. Co-captain Brad Robbins abruptly retired just eight games into the season, sighting he had lost motivation and passion for the game.^[20] Rhys Carter was signed late in the season as Robbins' replacement on the squad,^[21] while Cameron Tovey announced his decision to retire at the conclusion of the season.^[22] Despite the turmoil, the Wildcats finished second in 2012–13, again behind the New Zealand Breakers with a 22–6 record. The Wildcats defeated the Wollongong Hawks 2–0 in the semi-finals to claim their spot in yet another NBL Grand Final.

The 2012–13 NBL Grand Final saw the Wildcats take on the New Zealand Breakers for the third consecutive year in the finals and the second consecutive year in the Grand Final. However, the Wildcats were dealt a major blow when Damian Martin was ruled out of the Grand Final series with an Achilles injury.^[23] Brad Robbins was subsequently rushed back into the team to take Martin's place, but without their floor general and defensive specialist, the Wildcats struggled on both offense and defense as the Breakers swept the Wildcats 2–0, taking Game 1 in Auckland 79–67 and Game 2 in Perth 70–66.

2013–present: Trevor Gleeson era

2013–14 season: 'Ennis the Menace' and a sixth championship

The 2013 offseason saw the departure of Rob Beveridge (coach), Kevin Lisch (shooting guard) and Cameron Tovey (small forward).^[24] As a result, the Wildcats appointed Trevor Gleeson as head coach,^[25] and signed two new imports in small forward James Ennis^[26] and shooting guard Jermaine Beal.^[27] The trio joined the team with the core group of players – Shawn Redhage, Matthew Knight, Greg Hire, Jesse Wagstaff and new captain Damian Martin – still intact. Further new signings included centre Tom Jervis, guard Erik Burdon and swingman Mathiang Muo. However, Muo suffered a tear to his left Achilles tendon on day two of training camp and was subsequently ruled out for the entire 2013–14 season.^[28] Dual American-Australian citizen Drake U'u was later signed as an injury replacement for Muo.^[29]

James Ennis was a prized recruit for the Wildcats and his agreement with the team was well documented, with the Miami Heat holding his draft rights and being able to recall him at any time. He opened the season with a 25-point effort against the Adelaide 36ers – the most points scored by a Wildcat on debut. Ennis helped the new-look Wildcats dominate the NBL with an 8–0 start to the season, as he earned NBL Player of the Month honors for October after averaging a league-leading 24.0 points per game and was also in the league's top ten for rebounds with 6.8 per game.^[30] His high-flying dunks and athleticism rocked the league as he proved to be a top MVP candidate alongside Wollongong Hawks guard Rotnei Clarke and Melbourne Tigers guard Chris Goulding. He finished the season third in points per game with 21.2 and subsequently finish third in the MVP voting as well behind Clarke and Goulding, with Clarke taking out the award. He was, however, named in the All-NBL First Team.^[31] The Wildcats' 8–0 start culminated in a 21–7 overall record and a minor premiership.

The Wildcats cruised to their 11th grand final appearance with a 2–0 series win over the Wollongong Hawks in the semi-finals. The Wildcats won Game 1 in Perth 91–79 and took Game 2 in Wollongong 80–61. Moving on to the Grand Final, the Wildcats faced the Adelaide 36ers for the first time ever in a Grand Final series. The Wildcats earned a crucial Game 1 victory with a 92–85 win, behind Ennis' game-high 30 points. Rejuvenated by their home fans, the 36ers won Game 2 in Adelaide 89–84 to tie the series 1-1. Returning to Perth for Game 3 in front of 13,498 fans at Perth Arena, the game was won and done very early on with the Wildcats running out winners 93–59 to take the series 2–1 and claim their sixth NBL championship. Jermaine Beal was subsequently named the series MVP after Ennis struggled to make an impact in Games 2 and 3.^[32]

2014–15 season: Another injury-plagued title defense season

With the departure of James Ennis in 2014, Jermaine Beal took over the reins as the team's go-to guy in 2014–15. To replace Ennis at the small forward spot, the Wildcats gambled on another second round NBA draft pick in DeAndre Daniels.^[33] With eight out of the remaining nine 2014 championship players retained in the offseason, little-used guard Erik Burdon was not retained. In his place, dual American-Guamanian citizen Earnest Ross was picked up.^[34]

Following the Wildcats' season-opening loss to the New Zealand Breakers, back-up forward Greg Hire was ruled out for six weeks with a calf injury. In response, Mathiang Muo was signed as an injury-replacement. Having sat out the entire 2013–14 season, Muo made his long-awaited NBL debut on 17 October 2014 in the Wildcats' 69–59 win over the Wollongong Hawks.^[35][36] During a tough January schedule, injuries looked to derail the team's season, with Hire still recovering from his calf injury, Knight missing six games with a toe injury, Ross being ruled out for the rest of the season with an Achilles injury, and development player Louis Timms also out with a season-ending ankle injury.^[37] Fighting for a finals spot at 13–10, the Wildcats gained two crucial wins over Sydney and Cairns in early February,^[38] and later cemented their spot in the finals when Melbourne lost to Cairns.

With their 2015 finals entry cemented, the Wildcats made history as they equalled the Boston Bruins' record of 29 consecutive playoff appearances, a streak not matched by any other Australian or American professional sports team.^[39] Finishing fourth on the ladder with a 16–12 record, the Wildcats faced the first-placed Cairns Taipans in the semi-finals. However, with Shawn Redhage ruled out for the playoffs with a stress fracture in his right foot on the eve of Game 1,^[40] and Greg Hire ruled out for Game 2 after hurting his right calf muscle during Game 1,^[41] the Wildcats were swept 2–0 by the Taipans to end what was an injury-plagued season that mirrored eerily similar to the team's 2010–11 campaign.^[42]

While the Wildcats had a relatively disappointing season on the court for their lofty standards, they did manage to stay very successful off the court in 2014–15 as the team saw its membership base grow to an all-time record of 9,650. As a result of an increased membership base, the team played in front of much bigger crowds with an average of 12,140 fans attending all 15 home games (including Game 2 of the semi-finals against Cairns). As evidence, on 16 January against the Adelaide 36ers, the Wildcats played in front of a crowd of 13,559 – the biggest home attendance in the team's history.^[43]

In response to the team's lacklustre season, multiple personnel were released in a move that managing director Nick Marvin described as the biggest end-of-season debrief since Conner Henry was sacked as coach following the 2008–09 season.^[44] Both Luke Martin (Ross' injury replacement) and Anthony Fisher (development player) were cut on 7 March 2015, as was assistant coach Paul Woolpert.^[45]

2015–16 season: Re-tooling and a seventh championship

Following the departures of DeAndre Daniels, Earnest Ross, Drake U'u, Luke Martin, Anthony Fisher, and assistant coach Paul Woolpert, the Wildcats began their re-tooling for the 2015–16 season with the signing of Australian Boomers guard Hugh Greenwood, fresh out of the University of New Mexico.^[46] With Jermaine Beal returning for a third season, the Wildcats picked up exciting import swingman Casey Prather to bring back the flair James Ennis brought in 2013–14.^[47] The Wildcats' title hopes were dealt a blow just weeks into pre-season training, with Greenwood announcing his decision to retire from basketball in order to enter the Australian Football League (AFL).^[48] While Greenwood's departure left the back-up point guard spot vacant, it allowed for the Wildcats to sign former NBA big man Nathan Jawai.^[49] To fill the point guard void, the team signed long-time NZNBL player Jarrod Kenny.^[50]

Damian Martin's early-season injuries was a problem for the Wildcats. He missed time in October with a calf injury before suffering a broken jaw in November following an errant elbow from Townsville Crocodiles forward Brian Conklin.^[51] As a result, managing director Nick Marvin put continued faith in Jarrod Kenny to fill the starting point guard role and backed development player Corban Wroe to elevate his game to assist Kenny and Beal off the bench.^[52] On 10 December, Beal scored a career-high 40 points on 14-of-26 shooting to lead the Wildcats to a 113–83 win over Melbourne United.^[53] Of his 14 made field goals, he hit 10 three-pointers, a Wildcats' record (eight three-pointers was the previous team record – 10 times had eight been made before this game).^[54] Beal also became just the second player in NBL history to score 40 points in a game after going scoreless in the first quarter,^[55] and became the first Wildcat to score 40 points since Shawn Redhage did so in October 2007.^[56] With the win, the Wildcats moved into first on the ladder with an 11–5 record heading into their longest road stretch of the season.^[57] Three days later, in Jesse Wagstaff's 200th game, the Wildcats defeated the Sydney Kings in Sydney 87–69 behind Wagstaff's career-high 26 points, as the Wildcats completed Round 10 with a 12–5 record.^[58]

The Wildcats went on to fall to 13–8 following a tough road stretch throughout December and early January. They lifted again thanks to a home stretch to claim a 16–8 record, before falling to Melbourne United in a top of the table clash on 29 January. A week later, the Wildcats defeated the Sydney Kings at home behind solid bench performances from Wagstaff (23 points, 9 rebounds) and Tom Jervis (23 points, 13 rebounds), booking themselves a place in the finals for a 30th straight season.^[59] The team's playoff streak betters anything ever previously accomplished in Australian or American professional sports. Only Israeli basketball club Maccabi Tel Aviv (35 straight in 2015–16) lay claim to a longer run.^[60] The Wildcats finished the regular season in second place with an 18–10 record, and went on to defeat third-seeded Illawarra Hawks 2–1 in the semi-finals, moving on to their 12th Grand Final appearance where they faced their arch rivals the New Zealand Breakers. In the Grand Final series, the Wildcats won Game 1 82–76 in Perth, lost Game 2 72–68 in Auckland, and then overwhelmed the Breakers in Game 3 with a dominating 75–52 win in Perth, defeating the Breakers for the first time in the finals for their seventh NBL championship.^[61][62] The team completed the 2015–16 campaign with a 16–2 home record, and a 6–10 road record.

2016–17 season

The 2016 off-season saw the Wildcats part ways with Tom Jervis, Jermaine Beal (both to Brisbane) and Nathan Jawai (Cairns)—three cogs in the team's seventh championship. The trio was replaced with Angus Brandt (Sydney), Jaron Johnson (NBA D-League) and Jameel McKay (college). With the NBL altering its import restriction in 2016 from two to three foreign-born players,^[63] the Wildcats were also able to retain Casey Prather for the 2016–17 season.^[64] In addition, the Wildcats signed 2015–16 training player Dexter Kernich-Drew to a full-time contract, and retained the core group behind captain and Olympian Damian Martin. In an all too recurring theme for the Wildcats however, big man Matthew Knight injured his right shoulder at training in early September and was ruled out for two months. To replace him, the team recruited former Adelaide 36ers forward Lucas Walker.^[65][66]

After a lacklustre season opener in Brisbane against the reintroduced Brisbane Bullets on 6 October, in which they were defeated 72–65, the Wildcats turned it on two days later in Perth to defeat the Cairns Taipans 84–74 in overtime. The hero of the game was Jaron Johnson, who, after struggling over the first three quarters of the game, stepped up his play in the fourth quarter to nail four triples, including a game-typing three-pointer that sent the game into overtime.^[67] Just three games into the season, the Wildcats felt Johnson was not the right fit for the team and replaced him with three-point specialist Andre Ingram.^[68][69] However, Ingram managed just two games for the Wildcats before leaving Perth due to mental health concerns.^[70] Injuries to Martin (jaw & knee) and Kenny (groin)^[71] left the Wildcats no choice but to reactivate Johnson's contract, elevate development player Corban Wroe, and sign Jackson Hussey.

Retired jerseys

• No. 6 Mike Ellis
• No. 7 James Crawford
• No. 14 Scott Fenton (deceased)
• No. 15 Ricky Grace
• No. 21 Andrew Vlahov
• No. 30 Scott Fisher

Source: Perth Wildcats Achievements

Home arenas

For their first five seasons, the Wildcats played at the then home of Western Australian basketball, the 2,000-capacity Perry Lakes Basketball Stadium. From 1987 to 1989, the team played in the 4,500-seat Perth Superdrome (now known as HBF Stadium). In 1990, with NBL attendances on the rise and the team now playing regularly in the finals, the Wildcats moved into the 8,200-seat Perth Entertainment Centre (PEC) where they regularly played in front of sold-out crowds. The team had their greatest success at the PEC, winning their first four NBL championships while playing there.

When the Entertainment Centre closed in 2002, the Wildcats were moved back to Challenge Stadium, where they would remain until 2012. They did play one game against the Melbourne Tigers at the Burswood Dome in 2004 which drew a then WA record basketball attendance of 8,501.

Following the opening of the A$548.7 million, 14,846-seat Perth Arena in November 2012, the Wildcats again left Challenge Stadium and moved into the more modern and larger arena, a move that has proved fruitful for the team as their average attendances have been over 10,000, the largest in the NBL. The record attendance for basketball in Western Australia was set during the 2012–13 NBL Grand Final series when 13,527 attended Game 2 between the Wildcats and the New Zealand Breakers.^[72] This also broke the record attendance for an NBL game played outside of Sydney (Sydney Super Dome) or Melbourne (Rod Laver Arena). The previous record was 13,221 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre for Game 2 of the 1990 Grand Final series between the Wildcats and the Brisbane Bullets.

The 14,846-seat Perth Arena is the newest and second-largest venue currently in use in the NBL; largest in current use is the 21,000-seat Sydney Super Dome (Qudos Bank Arena).

The Perth Wildcats home venue list is as follows:

• Perry Lakes Basketball Stadium (1982–1986)
• Perth Superdrome / Challenge Stadium (1987–1989, 2002–2012)
• Perth Entertainment Centre (1990–2002)
• Burswood Dome (2004 – one game)
• Perth Arena (2012–present)

Honour Roll

NBL Championships:	7 (1990, 1991, 1995, 2000, 2010, 2014, 2016)
NBL Finals appearances:	30 (1987–present)
NBL Grand Final appearances:	12 (1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016)
NBL Most Valuable Players:	Paul Rogers (2000), Kevin Lisch (2012)
NBL Grand Final MVPs:	Ricky Grace (1990), Pete Hanson (1991), Ricky Grace (1993), Andrew Vlahov (1995), Marcus Timmons (2000), Kevin Lisch (2010), Jermaine Beal (2014), Damian Martin (2016)
All-NBL First Team:	James Crawford (1987), Ricky Grace (1991, 2001, 2002, 2003), Andrew Vlahov (1992, 1995), Paul Rogers (2000, 2002), Shawn Redhage (2008, 2010), Damian Martin (2011), Kevin Lisch (2012, 2013), Matthew Knight (2013), James Ennis (2014)
NBL Coach of the Year:	Murray Arnold (1991)
NBL Rookie of the Year:	Andrew Vlahov (1991), Jesse Wagstaff (2010), Tom Jervis (2014)
NBL Best Defensive Player:	Damian Martin (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
NBL Most Improved Player:	James Harvey (2001), Matt Burston (2003), Peter Crawford (2005)
NBL Best Sixth Man:	Stephen Black (2003), Jesse Wagstaff (2012)

Source: Perth Wildcats Achievements

Season-by-season

Season	Results	Finals	Coach	Captain	MVP
1982	10th (10–16)	–	Henry Daigle	Mike Ellis	Tim Evans
1983	13th (6–16)	–	Gordon Ellis	Mike Ellis	Mike Ellis
1984	16th (3–20)	–	Lynn Massey	Mike Ellis	Mike Ellis
1985	8th (13–13)	–	Jay Brehmer	Mike Ellis	Dan Clausen
1986	12th (8–18)	–	Jay Brehmer	Mike Ellis	Mike Ellis
1987	4th (19–7)	Grand-Finalists	Cal Bruton	Mike Ellis	James Crawford
1988	6th (13–11)	Semi-Finalists	Cal Bruton	Mike Ellis	James Crawford
1989	3rd (16–8)	Semi-Finalists	Alan Black	Mike Ellis	Tiny Pinder
1990	5th (17–9)	CHAMPIONS	Alan Black Cal Bruton	Mike Ellis	James Crawford
1991	1st (22–4)	CHAMPIONS	Murray Arnold	Mike Ellis	Ricky Grace
1992	6th (12–12)	Quarter-Finalists	Murray Arnold	Mike Ellis	James Crawford
1993	1st (21–5)	Grand-Finalists	Adrian Hurley	Andrew Vlahov	Scott Fisher
1994	6th (16–10)	Quarter-Finalists	Adrian Hurley	Andrew Vlahov	Scott Fisher
1995	1st (19–7)	CHAMPIONS	Adrian Hurley	Andrew Vlahov	Andrew Vlahov
1996	3rd (16–10)	Quarter-Finalists	Adrian Hurley	Andrew Vlahov	Andrew Vlahov
1997	4th (17–13)	Semi-Finalists	Adrian Hurley	Andrew Vlahov	Ricky Grace
1998	3rd (17–13)	Semi-Finalists	Alan Black	Andrew Vlahov	Ricky Grace
1998–99	6th (13–13)	Elimination-Finalists	Alan Black	Andrew Vlahov	Ricky Grace
1999–2000	3rd (22–6)	CHAMPIONS	Alan Black	Andrew Vlahov	Paul Rogers
2000–01	2nd (21–7)	Elimination-Finalists	Alan Black	Andrew Vlahov	Ricky Grace
2001–02	4th (17–13)	Elimination-Finalists	Alan Black	Andrew Vlahov	Ricky Grace
2002–03	2nd (22–8)	Grand-Finalists	Alan Black	Ricky Grace	Rob Feaster
2003–04	7th (15–18)	Quarter-Finalists	Mike Ellis	Ricky Grace	Rashad Tucker
2004–05	7th (17–15)	Quarter-Finalists	Scott Fisher	Ricky Grace	Rosell Ellis
2005–06	7th (16–16)	Semi-Finalists	Scott Fisher	Tony Ronaldson	Shawn Redhage
2006–07	3rd (23–10)	Quarter-Finalists	Scott Fisher	Paul Rogers	Shawn Redhage
2007–08	4th (18–12)	Semi-Finalists	Scott Fisher	Paul Rogers	Shawn Redhage
2008–09	4th (17–13)	Elimination-Finalists	Conner Henry	Paul Rogers	Shawn Redhage
2009–10	1st (17–11)	CHAMPIONS	Rob Beveridge	Shawn Redhage	Shawn Redhage
2010–11	4th (16–12)	Semi-Finalists	Rob Beveridge	Shawn Redhage Brad Robbins	Shawn Redhage Kevin Lisch
2011–12	2nd (19–9)	Grand-Finalists	Rob Beveridge	Shawn Redhage Brad Robbins	Kevin Lisch
2012–13	2nd (22–6)	Grand-Finalists	Rob Beveridge	Shawn Redhage Damian Martin	Kevin Lisch
2013–14	1st (21–7)	CHAMPIONS	Trevor Gleeson	Damian Martin	James Ennis
2014–15	4th (16–12)	Semi-Finalists	Trevor Gleeson	Damian Martin	Jermaine Beal
2015–16	2nd (18–10)	CHAMPIONS	Trevor Gleeson	Damian Martin	Casey Prather

Source: Perth Wildcats Year by Year

Summary

The Perth Wildcats' run of 30 straight NBL finals appearances is unmatched in major Australian professional sports and betters all the major North American sports as well. The Wildcats' performance of making 30 straight NBL playoff appearances began back in 1987. The Wildcats entered the NBL five years prior in 1982 and did not qualify for the post-season in the first five years, but come 1987, one of the best streaks in world professional sport began.

After three years of finals action included a losing grand final series in 1987, the team won back-to-back titles in 1990 and 1991 behind the likes of Ricky Grace, James Crawford and Mike Ellis, and coaches Cal Bruton and Murray Arnold. It took four more years for the team's third NBL title in 1995, with coach Adrian Hurley and captain Andrew Vlahov leading the way. Five more years elapsed before the next championship came in the 1999–2000 season. Black had returned as coach and with Paul Rogers dominating at centre, and veterans Vlahov, Grace and Scott Fisher still around, the Wildcats won their fourth title.

A large championship drought occurred between 2000–01 and 2008–09, but the Wildcats still made the finals each season. Then in 2009–10, the Wildcats became the undisputed greatest NBL franchise with a fifth championship. Coach Rob Beveridge and import Kevin Lisch were instrumental to the team's success that season, as was Shawn Redhage and Damian Martin.

Their sixth championship came in 2013–14 thanks to coach Trevor Gleeson and imports Jermaine Beal and James Ennis. In 2014–15, the Wildcats qualified for the post-season for a 29th straight year – they made history as they equalled the Boston Bruins' record of 29 consecutive playoff appearances, a streak not matched by any other Australian or American professional sports team. Their seventh championship came the next season in 2015–16, defeating arch rivals the New Zealand Breakers for the first time in the finals. Coach Trevor Gleeson thus became the first Wildcats coach to win multiple championships.

The most consecutive finals reached in VFL/AFL football is 14 by Hawthorn Hawks between 1982 and 1994, while the NRL's St. George Illawarra Dragons came close with 23 between 1951 and 1973. Super Rugby franchise the Crusaders from Canterbury, New Zealand, have made the semi-finals every year since 2002.

In American sport, the Philadelphia 76ers (as the Syracuse Nationals) made the NBA playoffs 22 straight seasons between 1949–50 and 1970–71 – the best streak in the strongest basketball league in the world. In Major League Baseball, the best streak was done by the Atlanta Braves who made it 14 straight seasons between 1992 and 2005. The only major professional league in the United States that came close to the Perth Wildcats' 30 is in the National Hockey League (NHL), with the Boston Bruins (1967–68 to 1995–96) making it 29 consecutive times.^[39] The Wildcats' 30 still trails Israeli professional basketball club Maccabi Tel Aviv's world record of 35 straight post-season appearances, with their 35th appearance coming in 2015–16.^[60]

Current roster

Perth Wildcats roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Ht. Wt. 1.5 !G 7000300000000000000♠3 USA ! Johnson, Jaron (I) 7000198000000000000♠1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 7001930000000000000♠93 kg (205 lb) 2.5 !G/F 7000400000000000000♠4 AUS ! Hire, Greg 7000200999999999999♠2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 7001990000000000000♠99 kg (218 lb) 4.5 !F/C 7000500000000000000♠5 USA ! McKay, Jameel (I) 7000206000000000000♠2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 7001960000000000000♠96 kg (212 lb) 1.5 !G 7000800000000000000♠8 NZL ! Kenny, Jarrod 7000188000000000000♠1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 7001870000000000000♠87 kg (192 lb) 4.5 !F/C 7000900000000000000♠9 AUS ! Knight, Matthew 7000204000000000000♠2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) 7002109000000000000♠109 kg (240 lb) 1.5 !G 7001100000000000000♠10 AUS ! Kernich-Drew, Dexter 7000198000000000000♠1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 7001830000000000000♠83 kg (183 lb) 1.5 !G 7001110000000000000♠11 AUS ! Bragg, Mason (DP) 7000182000000000000♠1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) 7001750000000000000♠75 kg (165 lb) 5.0 !C 7001120000000000000♠12 AUS ! Brandt, Angus 7000208000000000000♠2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 7002110000000000000♠110 kg (243 lb) 1.5 !G 7001220000000000000♠22 AUS ! Hussey, Jackson 7000190000000000000♠1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 7001840000000000000♠84 kg (185 lb) 2.5 !G/F 7001230000000000000♠23 USA ! Prather, Casey (I) 7000198000000000000♠1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 7001940000000000000♠94 kg (207 lb) 3.5 !F 7001240000000000000♠24 AUS ! Wagstaff, Jesse 7000202999999999999♠2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 7002100000000000000♠100 kg (220 lb) 3.5 !F 7001250000000000000♠25 AUS ! Vague, Rhys (DP) 7000204000000000000♠2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) 3.5 !F 7001420000000000000♠42 AUS ! Redhage, Shawn 7000202999999999999♠2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 7002103000000000000♠103 kg (227 lb) 1.5 !G 7001440000000000000♠44 AUS ! Wroe, Corban (DP) 7000185000000000000♠1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 7001860000000000000♠86 kg (190 lb) 1.5 !G 7001530000000000000♠53 AUS ! Martin, Damian  (C) 7000186000000000000♠1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) 7001920000000000000♠92 kg (203 lb)	Head coach Trevor Gleeson Assistant coach(es) Matthew Nielsen Adam Forde Jamie O'Loughlin Strength & conditioning coach(es) Josh Cavanagh Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Development player (I) Import player Injured Roster Updated: 9 November 2016

30th anniversary all-star team

On 4 February 2013, the Perth Wildcats announced their best team from the first three decades of the franchise at their 30th anniversary breakfast. The team was picked by 1995 championship coach Adrian Hurley, The West Australian's online sports editor Ross Lewis, and long-time basketball broadcaster John Gardiner.^[73]

Depth chart

Pos.	Starter	Bench	Bench	Reserve
C	James Crawford	Paul Rogers
PF	Scott Fisher	Kendal Pinder
SF	Andrew Vlahov	Shawn Redhage
SG	Kevin Lisch	James Harvey
PG	Ricky Grace	Mike Ellis

References

External links

• National Basketball League official website
• Perth Wildcats official website