Perth Wildcats

Perth Wildcats
2014–15 Perth Wildcats season
League	NBL
Founded	1982 as the Westate Wildcats
Arena	Perth Arena
Capacity	14,846
Location	Perth, Western Australia
Team colours	Red and Black
General manager	Nick Marvin
Head coach	Trevor Gleeson
Ownership	Jack Bendat
Championships	6 (1990, 1991, 1995, 2000, 2010, 2014)
Website	Wildcats.com.au
Home Away

The Perth Wildcats are an Australian men's professional basketball team competing in the National Basketball League (NBL). The Wildcats are the only team in the league representing the state of Western Australia and are based in the state capital, Perth. The team plays its home games at the Perth Arena, known colloquially as "The Jungle". They are the highest-drawing and most successful club in the league, having achieved six championships (ahead of the four championships won by the Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne United).

Since 1987, the Perth Wildcats have appeared in all 28 NBL finals, including playing in the 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1999–2000, 2002–03, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13 and 2013–14 Grand Finals, an accomplishment matched by no other professional sports club in Australia. The Wildcats won the NBL championship in 1990, 1991, 1995, 2000, 2010 and 2014.

History

1982 to 1986 - The Beginning

In 1979 the National Basketball League (NBL) in Australia was formed. It would take another three years of lobbying by the Perth basektball community led by personanilities like Gordon Ellis before a team in Western Australian became a reality. Formed in 1982 as the Westate Wildcats, the Wildcats became the first, and so far only, Western Australian club to compete in the NBL. The club was initially captained by Mike Ellis and comprised members of the Western Australian state team and several import players such as Tim Evans, Billy Keys and Dan Hickert. Henry Daigle became the inaugural coach of the Wildcats. The Wildcats played at Perry Lakes Stadium and struggled to make an impact on the league. They finished the season 10th with a 10-16 win/loss record.

Gordon Ellis took over as coach in 1983 and looked to turn the fortunes of the struggling club around. He recruited forward Curtis Perry a veteran with 480 games of expierence with the National Basketball Association (NBA). Perry had played with the Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns. While Perry arrived with a solid reputation he was well passed his prime by the time he suited up for the Wildcats. In 22 games, Perry managed only 7.9 points per game and 2.9 points per game and had limited impact on the NBL which was younger and faster. The Wildcats finished the season in 12th place with a 6-16 win/loss record, well out of the play-off race.

In 1984 the Wildcats changed their name to the Perth Wildcats. Lynn Massey became the third head coach at the club replacing Gordon Ellis. It proved to be an unfruitful season as the Wildcats would finished in 16th spot managing only 3 wins for the season. An all-time francise low.

Jay Brehmer was appointed as the coach in 1985. Brehmer recruited strongly and signed two high impact imports in center Dan Clausen from the University of North Dakota and forward Roland Brooks from the University of Minnesota. Clausen would average an incredible 25.7 points per game and 15.7 rebounds per game. Brooks complemented Clausen with 23.2 points per game and 10.0 rebounds per game. On 16 August 1985, Brooks lit up the Adelaide 36ers for 51 points, an all-time Wildcats record at the time. With Clausen and Brooks dominating the NBL the Wildcats narrowly missed out on a play-offs berth in 1985 with a 13-13 win/loss record. They would finish in 8th place.

The Wildcats suffered a major setback in 1986 season losing high scoring forward Roland Brooks to a season ending injury. Without their star import the Wildcats struggled to be competitive finishing that season in 12th place with an 8-18 win/loss record.

1987 to 1990 - The Run and Stun Era

Bob Williams became owner of the Wildcats in 1986 and made a number of changes to make the club more successful both on and off the court. In 1987 the Wildcats moved from Perry Lakes to the 5,000 seat Superdrome (now known as HBF Stadium). Williams also hired Cal Bruton as the player coach. Bruton arrived with a reputation for building successful clubs and recommended to Williams that Tiny Pinder from North Carolina State University and James Crawford from the University of the Cumberlands be recruited as star imports. Pinder and Crawford had been teammates of Bruton at the Geelong Supercats. Crawford put in a dominate display averaging 34.7 points per game, 11.7 rebounds per game, and 2.2 blocks per game in 26 regular season games. So proficient was Crawford in scoring that he lit up the Melbourne Tigers on 9 June 1987 for an all-time club record of 57 points. The record still stands to this day. Pinder complimented Crawford with 23.8 points per game and 14.3 rebounds per game. Bruton was also instrumental in promoting the Wildcats brand to the Perth community with his 'run and stun' style of basketball which was both exciting and fun. Fans flocked to the Superdrome in record numbers to witness Bruton perform his crazy passes which often led to crowd pleasing dunks from Crawford or Pinder.

On the back of a highly successful season the Wildcats not only made their first playoff appearance in 1987, but attained a Grand Final berth. Unfortunately for the Wildcats they lost this Grand Final series 2-0 to the Brisbane Bullets. The Wildcats lost by 1 point (80-79) in a tight opening game played in Perth. Pinder missed a lay-up from point blank range in the dying seconds. This left the team deflated and rueing missed opportunities. The Bullets took Game 2 comfortably in Brisbane 105-87. Despite this loss the 1987 season marked the beginning of 28 straight years of playoff appearances that still runs to this day. James Crawford became the first Wildcats player named to the All-NBL First Team for a stellar season.

The following year of 1988 was not as successful on or off the court. The Wildcats finished in 6th place with a 13-11 win/loss record but were eliminated 2-1 in the Semi-Finals series by 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 club was 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, Scott Fenton’s jersey (number 14) became the first to be retired by the club. The Wildcats finished the 1989 season in third place with a 16-8 win/loss record. They would lose 2-1 in the Semi-Finals to eventual champions the North Melbourne Giants. In Game 3 the Wildcats lost 165-110, a record margin of 55 points. It was a significant number as Cal Bruton wore number 55 and it would be his final game as a player for the Wildcats.

1990 - First Championship

A new decade saw the Wildcats move once again, now to the 8,200 seat Perth Entertainment Centre. There were a number of other changes. Kerry Stokes became co-owner of the Wildcats with Bob Williams. Cal Bruton became the General Manager of the club after retiring as a player. Eager to bring a first NBL championship to the club Bruton embarked on an active recruiting campaign during the offseason. He would sign star point guard Ricky Grace from the University of Oklahoma and 213cm center Jeff Allen from St. John's University following a successful recruiting trip to the United States of America. Grace was a proven winner having led Oklahoma to the championship game of the 1988 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Bruton remarked that Grace was so quick that he could steal the hubcaps off a moving car. Grace would be instrumental in leading the Wildcats to the play-offs in each of his 15 years with the club. Sharp shooter David 'Radar' Close was the final recruit signed from the Australian Institute of Sports.

The 1990 season also began with turmoil as coach Alan Black was controversially fired after only two games. He was replaced by Cal Bruton. Despite this shaky start to the season the Wildcats recovered to finish in 5th place with a 17-9 win/loss record. In the Elimination Finals the Wildcats faced the Melbourne Tigers minus Andrew Gaze who was suffering from a blot clot to his arm. The Wildcats swept the Melbroune Tigers 2-0 in the series despite the gallant efforts of Tigers forward Dave Colbert who averaged a sensational 47.0 points per game in Gaze's absence.

In the Semi-Finals the Wildcats faced the North Melbourne Giants for the third consecutive year. Eager to avenge the defeats of 1988 and 1989, the Wildcats got off to a strong start defeating the Giants 121-111 in Perth. The Wildcats backcourt dominated the Giants in the opening game. Ricky Grace poured in 39 points while shooting at 58% from the field. He was well supported by Mike Ellis with 26 points at 56% from the field and 12 assists. Cheered on by a hostile crowd the Giants dominated the Wildcats in Game 2 taking a 131-110 win in Melbourne. In an epic decider the Wildcats clinched the win 112-110 in overtime. Trevor Torrance made an unexpected baseline jumper to put the Wildcats in the lead which they hung onto in the dying seconds. The Wildcats showed true grit overcoming the loss of Grace to 6 fouls and a superb game from 1989 NBL MVP Scott Fisher who poured in 32 points and 29 rebounds.

The 1990 NBL Grand Final saw the Wildcats take on the Brisbane Bullets in a repeat of the 1987 final. But unlike 1987, the Wildcats won Game 1 in Perth 112-106 on the back of a stellar effort from Ricky Grace. He led the team with 32 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks. Brisbane tied the series at 1-1 when they won Game 2 in convincing fashion at home 106-90. In the deciding game Cal Bruton outfoxed Bullets coach Brian Kerle by constantly rotating his players. The fresher and more energised Wildcats blew the game wide open in the 3rd quarter and were up by 20 points before the final term. They cruised to an easy 109-86 victory to claim their first ever NBL championship. Ricky Grace was once again superb in Game 3 with 25 points, 7 assist, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals. It was no surprise when Grace was named as the MVP of the series.

1991 - Back to Back

In controversial circumstances Cal Bruton was not retained as coach despite leading the Wildcats to a championship in 1990. He would be replaced by American Murray Arnold a former Assistant Coach with the Chicago Bulls of the NBA. In pursuit of back to back NBL championships, the Wildcats strengthen their roster in the offseason with the addition of forwards Andrew Vlahov and Pete Hansen. Vlahov, a local Perth boy, was heavily recruited by rival NBL clubs upon returning to Australia following a successful stint with Stanford University. Hansen, an American, had been playing locally as an import in the State Basketball League (SBL) in Perth and had spent time training with the Wildcats during 1990.

In contrast to Bruton's run and stun offense, Arnold focused solely on defense and containing teams to score less than 100 points. This style of basketball was not appreciated by Perth fans who were used to a more up tempo game. Despite the criticisms, the Arnold coached Wildcats were highly successful. They would finish the season in first place amassing an incredible 22-4 win/loss record. It was the first time the Wildcats had ever finished on top of the league. Ricky Grace and Vlahov would be named to the All-NBL First Team. In addition, Vlahov won the NBL Rookie of the Year Award and Arnold won the NBL Coach of the Year Award.

In the Semi-Finals the Wildcats faced arch rivals the Adelaide 36ers in a fiercely tight contest. Ricky Grace went head to head with Butch Hayes in a clash of the league's two best point guards with Grace taking the honours by leading the Wildcats to a 2-0 series sweep. Grace led the Wildcats with 24 points and 8 assists in a tight 102-99 opening game victory. Grace also dominated Game 2 with 27 points and 9 assists while leading the Wildcats to a narrow 105-104 victory.

In the 1991 NBL Grand Final the Wildcats face a young but talented Eastside Spectres team. Ricky Grace continued his hot form leading the Wildcats to an easy 109-83 victory in Game 1 in Melbourne. Grace scored 21 points and dished out 7 assists. The inexperienced Spectres backcourt had no answers for Grace as he set his teammates up for easy baskets. Due to the magnitude of the win, the Wildcats returned home expecting an easy series sweep. Forward Bruce Bolden powered the Spectres to an unexpected 86-81 win in Game 2. Bolden finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds while holding James Crawford to career low of 0 points. Led by its powerful frontcourt the Wildcats dominated Game 3 with a 90-80 win in front of a sold out home crowd. After an embarrassing display, Crawford bounced back in Game 3 scoring 19 points while grabbing 14 rebounds often going toe to toe with Bolden. He was well supported by Tiny Pinder who scored 19 points while Pete Hansen added 18 points and 12 rebounds. Bolden scored 29 points and collected 15 rebounds but received little help from his teammates. Pete Hansen was named the MVP of the series for his consistency over the three games. The Wildcats became the third team in NBL history to win back-to-back championships.

1992 - Quest for Three-peat

The Wildcats entered the 1992 season looking to become the first NBL club to secure a hat-trick of championships. Former Geelong Supercats swingman Vince Hinchen replaced the sharp shooting David Close as the only major change to the team that won the 1991 NBL championship. Close signed with the Hobart Tassie Devils in the offseason to re-join coach Cal Bruton. The season 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. As a result of the turbulent season, the Wildcats finished in 6th place with a 12-12 win/loss record.

The Wildcats once again faced the Melbourne Tigers in the Elimination Finals with Andrew Gaze full fit. The Wildcats started their title defence well taking the first game in Perth 111-103. Game 2 in Melbourne was a spiteful affair with Pete Hansen going down with a shoulder injury early in the game. The Wildcats also found themselves at the end of a number of dubious calls at the critical stages of the match. The Wildcats fought bravely in the hostile environment but wound up losing by 1 point 95-94 when Vince Hinchen's desperation shot missed the mark in the dying seconds. The Wildcats were demoralised following the loss and never recovered as the Tigers took Game 3 easily winning 116-100.

Captain Mike Ellis decided to retire at the end of the season. The Wildcats management, players, and fans grew frustrated at Murray Arnold's go slow offense in 1992. Accordingly, the club decided to part ways with the coach. Vince Hinchen also left the club in the offseason to return to the Geelong Supercats.

1993 to 1994 - Doctor Who

The search for a coach ended when Doctor Adrian Hurley put pen to paper. Dr Hurley brought significant experience to club having been coach of the Australian Boomers and having established the basketball program at the Australian Institute of Sports (AIS). The appointment did raise a few eyebrows however as few thought Dr Hurley could succeed at the professional level. Dr Hurley's style of game was more up tempo which pleased the Perth fans. Looking to bolster the frontcourt the Wildcats actively recruited center Mark Bradtke before signing former league MVP Scott Fisher. As an import Fisher's singing meant hard working Pete Hansen would be cut. Martin Cattalini a rising star in the local SBL took Hansen's spot on the roster. With the retirement of Mike Ellis, Andrew Vlahov became captain of the club in 1993.

The season was a highly successful one for the Wildcats. Led by Hurley, and senior players like Fisher, Vlahov, Grace and Crawford the Wildcats clinched 1st place with a 21-5 win/loss 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 bounce back to claim a 2-1 series win. A dejected Bullets coach Brian Kerle then tipped the Wildcats to win the championship.

The 1993 NBL Grand Final saw the Wildcats take on the Melbourne Tigers a team that had yet to win a championship. The Wildcats lost Game 1 117-113 in very controversial circumstances with many 50-50 calls going against them. Playing in Perth the Wildcats recovered to take Game 2 112-105. Game 3 was a tough battle but marred in more controversy when Ricky Grace fouled out following a series of dubious calls against him. The Tigers would go on to win the game 104-102, claiming their first ever NBL championship. The Wildcats lost by two points. The television broadcast of the game incorrectly displayed the final score as a one-point loss. Andrew Vlahov had a chance to tie the game in the dying seconds but his shot narrowly rimmed out. Despite being on the losing team Ricky Grace was named as the MVP of the series. Utility forward Steve Davis retired at the end of the season.

The 1994 season was lackluster, with 16 wins and 10 losses in the regular season and elimination 2-0 in the Quarter-Finals by the South-East Melbourne Magic. Cal Bruton's son CJ Bruton suited up for the Wildcats allowing James Crawford the unique opportunity of playing alongside both father and son. Promising point guard Aaron Trahair was also unveiled during the season. Wildcats stalwart Eric Watterson retired at the end of the season and Trevor Torrance left in the offseason to play for the Gold Coast Rollers.

1995 - Third Championship

Following a disappointing 1994 the Wildcats looked to recruit a pure sharp shooter to stretch opposing defenses and provide 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. Martin Cattalini rounded out the eight man rotation used by Dr Adrian Hurley.

The Wildcats were highly successful in 1995 winning the preseason K-mart Classic tournament. This success translated into the regular season. The Wildcats complied a league best record of 19 wins and 7 losses. The Quarter Final match up against the Melbourne Tigers provided the Wildcats with an opportunity to avenge the defeats of 1992 and 1993. After losing the opening game 103-91, the Wildcats rebounded strongly taking the next two 108-99 and 96-92. The Wildcats then stormed past arch rivals the Adelaide 36ers in the Semi-Finals in 2 straight games, winning 95-78 and 85-76.

The 1995 NBL Grand Final saw the Wildcats matched up with the North Melbourne Giants, a talented team featuring NBA Championship player Chris Jent formerly of the Houston Rockets. The North Melbourne 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 Wildcat's had their backs against the wall. The Wildcats put in a solid defensive effort and were able to rally back taking to take the win 97-88. Captain Andrew Vlahov later revealed the team was motivated by the fact that the Giants had already made celebratory preparations in anticipation they would win Game 2. The Wildcats continued their 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 5 block shots effort the Wildcats blitz the Giants who were never in the game, running winners 108-88. Andrew Vlahov was named the MVP of the series for his consistency over the three games.

The Wildcats' third championship also allowed the club to travel to the McDonald's Championship in London to play against the best clubs in the world. The Wildcats lost against the Houston Rockets from the NBA 116 - 72 in their first game of the tournament, but defeated Real Madrid 93 - 86 in their second game. Upon returning from the World Club Championships, Martin Cattalini departed Perth seeking a bigger role and more playing time. He would go on to sign with arch rivals the Adelaide 36ers.

1996 to 1998/99 - Missed Opportunities

The 1996 Wildcats were one of the strongest squads in the history of the franchise. Todd Lichti an NBA veteran of 237 games with the Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors joined the Wildcats late in the season. Lichti was a teammate of Andrew Vlahov at Stanford University. Scott Fisher became an Australian citizen which allowed 1991 Finals MVP Pete Hansen to return to the squad. Giant 213cm center Gavin Vanderputten was signed from Pepperdine University and joining him was local SBL standout Phil Doherty. Despite this collection of talent, the Wildcats never really gelled as a team and finished in 3rd place with a 19-10 win/loss record. They ended up losing 2-1 in the Quarter Finals against the Adelaide 36ers. Scott Fisher blew out his knee in Game 1 and required surgery.

The 1997 season became the testimonial season for James Crawford who was expected to retire at the end of that season. The Wildcats hosted an exhibition match against James Crawford’s all-star team, which featured many NBL stars both current and retired. Although 1997 had been touted as Crawford’s retirement year, he continued to play until injury forced him out during the 1998/99 season. Scott Fisher missed the entire 1997 regular season requiring knee reconstructive surgery. He would return for the final two play-off games. George Banks was signed as an import and then released after 7 games. Former Newcastle Falcons big man David Van Dyke was subsequently signed to replace Banks. Van Dyke blocked a franchise record 12 blocks in a single game providing the only highlight of another lackluster season. The Wildcats finished 4th with 17 wins and 11 losses. The Wildcats beat the Brisbane Bullets 2-0 in the Quarter Finals. With James Crawford injured, the Wildcats could not overcome the South East Melbourne Magic and were eliminated 2-0 in the Semi-Finals. The Wildcats did not offer Dr Adrian Hurley a contract extension following the Semi-Final defeat.

1998 produced a surprise with Alan Black returning to the club as head coach. Thomas Hill a swingman from Duke University was signed but released after just 9 games. Center Dwayne Michaels was signed as a replacement. The Wildcats finished in 3rd place with a 17 win and 13 loss record. After beating the Illawara 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. Club legend James Crawford retired 6 games into the season after sustaining an injury. Todd Lichti also ended his association with the club. The Wildcats signed swingman Clinton McDaniel from the University of Arkansas as an import. He had spent a season with the South East Melbourne Magic but suffered a season ending injury 14 games into his Wildcats career. Center Dwayne Michaels was signed as a replacement. The 1998/99 also saw the emergence of new talent with franchise center Paul Rogers signed upon returning from Gonzaga University. Rookies James Harvey and Stephen Black also joined the team. Stephen is the son of coach Alan Black. The Wildcats finished in 6th place with 13 wins and 13 losses but were eliminated 2-0 in the Elimination Finals by the Adelaide 36ers.

The 2000s

Andrew Vlahov and Luc Longley purchased the Wildcats from businessman Kerry Stokes for the 1999/2000 season. The season itself was very successful for the Wildcats as they claimed their fourth championship against the Victoria Titans, becoming the first team in NBL history to do so. To top off the stellar season, centre Paul Rogers became the first Wildcat to win the Most Valuable Player award.

The end of the 2001/02 season saw the Wildcats leave the Perth Entertainment Centre for a return to their old home the Superdrome (now HBF Stadium). Till then, Perth had avoided the league's fall in attendance, thanks to the team's performances and the popular central CBD location of the arena, but the Perth Entertainment Centre was no longer viable for its owner Kerry Stokes as basketball was not the primary tenant, and he was forced to close the venue and relocate the team back to their former and unpopular suburban-based arena.

Ricky Grace became captain of the club in 2002/03 when Andrew Vlahov retired from the league. The season saw the Wildcats head to their seventh Grand Final, where unfortunately for the Wildcats they were defeated by the Sydney Kings in their first championship. More controversy followed as coach Alan Black was fired for the second time by the club.

Mike Ellis became coach for the following season, but his tenure was short, being replaced the following season by Scott Fisher. The 2004/05 season saw the end of an era as captain Ricky Grace played his last game of his career with the club. Grace was the only remaining member of all the Wildcats' championships and had been an integral part of the club for 15 years. In order to celebrate his career with the Wildcats a legends match was held featuring many retired Wildcats stars (including Bruton, Crawford, Ellis, Vlahov and Fisher), current and retired NBL stars (including Leroy Loggins, Andrew Gaze, Mark Davis and Phil Smyth).

With Grace retired, veteran player Tony Ronaldson became captain of the Wildcats in 2005/06, but was relieved of his captaincy after only one season. Future Wildcats captain and multiple club MVP award winner Shawn Redhage also first suited up for the Wildcats in 2005.

The Wildcats were instrumental in the NBL's push towards promoting the league in the lucrative Asian market during this period. Not only have Wildcats games been telecast to millions of potential viewers in Southeast Asia, the Wildcats have hosted several regular season games in Singapore in an event known as the "Singapore Spectacular.". The Singapore experiment culminated in the entry of the first Asian team into the NBL - the Singapore Slingers - in the 2006/2007 season. The "Singapore Spectacular" has not been held since.

In February 2006, West Australian Jack Bendat became the Chairman and majority shareholder of the club. Although no longer the majority shareholder, Andrew Vlahov remained in control of the club as the Managing Director.

In August 2006, Paul Rogers became the fifth player to captain the Wildcats. Rogers replaced Tony Ronaldson as captain for 2006/07, despite Ronaldson continuing to play for the club. The Wildcats celebrated their 25th anniversary during the 2006/07 NBL season and recorded their highest number of wins in a single season (23 wins), although historically they have recorded better win-loss ratios. The 2007 season came to an end when the Wildcats were defeated by the Cairns Taipans 82-78 in the quarter finals.

The Wildcats continued to appear in the playoffs throughout the late 2000s, but failed to progress beyond the semi final round. Following the 2007/08 season, Head coach Scott Fisher departed the Wildcats in March 2008 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.

Prior to the 2009/10 season, Henry was replaced by former Sydney Spirit head coach Rob Beveridge. The new head coach was instrumental in recruiting a wave of new talent for the Wildcats, including Australian Boomer Damian Martin and former Chicago Bulls centre Luke Schenscher. Former Cairns Taipans, and 1995 Wildcats championship squad member, Martin Cattalini also signed for the Wildcats in what would be his final NBL season. Redhage became the next Wildcats captain, taking over from the injury plagued Paul Rogers.

The Wildcats finished the 2009/10 regular season at first place on the ladder. During the finals, the Wildcats managed a clean-sweep in two matches against the Gold Coast Blaze, lead by former Wildcat James Harvey, to progress to the grand final series against the Wollongong Hawks. The series went to three matches were the Wildcats stormed home in Game 3 on the back of the Grand Final MVP performance by Kevin Lisch.

2010/11

Retirements to Cattalini and Rogers followed the championship win, 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 co-captain Shawn 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.

Despite injury setbacks throughout the year, the Wildcats finished the 2010/11 regular season with a 16-12 win/loss record, finishing fourth. Their active playoff streak therefore stretched to 25 consecutive years.

Drawn to play minor premiers New Zealand Breakers in the first round of the playoffs, the Wildcats scored an upset victory in Game 1 in Auckland, winning 101-78.

Game two in Perth was a tight affair that saw the Breakers level the series 1-1 with a 93-89 win before the Wildcats were knocked out of the championship race with an 83-99 loss in Game 3.

2011/12

Shawn Redhage made a welcome return to the line-up after recovering from a potentially career ending hip injury. Luke Nevill was signed to bolster the Wildcats frontcourt and add much needed height. Kevin Lisch had a breakout season during 2011/12 earning him the NBL MVP award. Lisch played all 28 regular season games averaging 17.6 points per game, 2.8 assists per game, and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting at 45.3% from the field.

The Wildcats finished second in 2011/12 behind the New Zealand Breakers with a 19-9 win/loss record. The Wildcats qualified for their 9th NBL Grand Final by defeating the Gold Coast Blaze 2-1 in a physical series.

The 2011/12 NBL Grand Final saw the Perth Wildcats take on the New Zealand Breakers. With Damian Martin hampered by an ankle injury the New Zealand Breakers guards dominated the series. Game 1 in Auckland was a classic match with the Breakers claiming a 104-98 win in overtime. Game 2 in Perth was a classic contest with the Wildcats bouncing back with a 87-86 win. Shawn Redhage blocked CJ Bruton in the dying seconds to give the Wildcats the win. Game 3 would see the Breakers clinch the series with a 79-73 win. CJ Bruton was named as the Grand Final MVP.

2012/13

Luke Nevill departed in the offseason due to the NBL's controversial points system. Everard Bartlett, a short-term injury replacement player in 2011/12, was signed for a full season. Injury and retirements threatened to destabilize the season. Matthew Knight was injured early in the season. Michael Dunigan, a forward from the University of Oregon was signed as an injury replacement for Knight. In his short 4 game stint, Dunigan excited fans with an array of blocks and crowd pleasing dunks. Co-captain Brad Robbins abruptly retired just 8 games into the season sighting he had lost motivation and passion for the game. Rhys Carter was signed late in the season as Robbins replacement on the squad. Cameron Tovey announced that he would retire at the conclusion of the season.

Despite the turmoil, the Wildcats finished second at the end of the 2012/13 NBL season behind the New Zealand Breakers with a 22-6 win/loss 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 would see the Wildcats take on the New Zealand Breakers for the third consecutive year in the play-offs. The Wildcats were dealt a major blow when Damian Martin was ruled out of the Grand Final with an Achilles injury. Brad Robbins was rushed back into the team to take Martin's place. Without their floor general and defensive specialist the Wildcats struggled on both offense and defense. The Breakers swept the Wildcats 2-0 taking Game 1 in Auckland 79-67 and Game 2 in Perth 70-66. Cedric Jackson was named as the series MVP.

2013/14

In the offseason the Wildcats were rocked by the departure of Kevin Lisch who left to play in Italy. Rob Beveridge also quit as the head coach. The upcoming 2013/14 season looked bleak for the Wildcats as Lisch and Beveridge had been the cornerstones of the Perth Wildcats success for the past four seasons.

Trevor Gleeson was signed as the new coach and tasked by owner Jack Bendat to bring an immediate championship to Perth. The core group of players - Shawn Redhage, Matthew Knight, Greg Hire, Jesse Wagstaff and new captain Damiam Martin - essential to the Wildcats success over the years were retained. Gleeson then commenced reshaping the Wildcats squad to add the depth and experienced required to win a championship.

The squad started taking shape when James Ennis, an exciting forward from Long Beach State was signed on a one year deal from the Miami Heat. Ennis had been selected by the Miami Heat organization with the 37th pick of the 2013 NBA Draft but was told to play overseas for a season. Jermaine Beal, a guard from Vanderbilt University was signed as the second import. Tom Jervis, a local SBL standout was added to bolster the center position. Erik Burdon, a South Australian product provided sharp outside shooting. Mathiang Muo, a guard from Charleston Southern University also joined the team. Muo would suffer a season ending injury in preseason. Drake U'u a guard from California Polytechnic State University would be signed to take Muo's spot.

The new look Wildcats dominated the NBL finishing first in the 2013/14 NBL season with a 21-7 win/loss record. The Wildcats cruised to their 11th Grand Final appearance with an easy 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.

The 2013/14 NBL Grand Final saw the Perth Wildcats take on the Adelaide 36ers for the first time ever in a Grand Final series. Quite remarkable considering how successful both clubs have been over the years. The Wildcats dominated the 36ers 92-85 in Game 1. Rejuvenated by their home fans, the 36ers won Game 2 in Adelaide 89-84. Game 3 in Perth was no contest with the Wildcats running out winners 93-59 to take the series 2-1. Jermaine Beal was named the series MVP.

In total the Perth Wildcats have now appeared in 28 consecutive play-off series and won 6 championships making them the most successful team in the history of the NBL.

2014/15

James Ennis departed in the offseason to pursue his NBA dream and would later be signed by the Miami Heat. Erik Burdon was not retained by the club. Free agents Damian Martin, Jesse Wagstaff, Jermaine Beal, Tom Jervis and Drake U'u all signed new deals. Shawn Redhage, Matthew Knight, and Greg Hire remain under contract. University of Connecticut forward DeAndre Daniels was signed as an import. Like Ennis, Daniels is on a one year loan from the Toronto Raptors who drafted him with the 37th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Mathiang Muo was cut before the season to make way for University of Missouri guard Earnest Ross. While Ross is an American he qualifies as a local player under NBL rules as he was born in the FIBA Oceania region of Guam.

With a loaded roster full of talent the Wildcats are favorites to win back to back championships. The Wildcats also look to make history and equal the Boston Bruins world record of 29 consecutive play-off appearances by qualifying for this season's play-offs.

Trevor Gleeson is aiming to become the first Perth Wildcats coach to win more than one championship for the club. Cal Burton (1990), Murray Arnold (1991), Dr Adrian Hurley (1995), Alan Black (1999/00) and Rob Beveridge (2009/10) all won just one championship with the club.

Retired Jerseys

• #6 Mike Ellis
• #7 James Crawford
• #14 Scott Fenton (deceased)
• #15 Ricky Grace
• #21 Andrew Vlahov
• #30 Scott Fisher

Source: Perth Wildcats Achievements

Home Arenas

From their first five seasons, the Wildcats played at the then home of Western Australian basketball, the Perry Lakes Indoor Stadium. From 1987-1990 the team played out of the 4,500 seat Claremont Superdrome (now known as HBF Stadium). In 1990, with NBL attendances on the rise, The Wildcats moved into the 8,200 seat Perth Entertainment Centre 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 forced to move back to Challenge Stadium where they would remain until 2012, though 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 and moved into the more modern and larger arena, a move that has proved fruitful for the club 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 saw Game 2 between the Wildcats and the New Zealand Breakers. This also broke the record attendance for an NBL game played outside of Sydney (Sydney Superdome) or Melbourne (Rod Laver Arena). The previous record was 13,221 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre for game 2 of the 1990 Grand Final between the Wildcats and Brisbane Bullets.

The 14,846 seat Perth Arena is the largest and newest venue currently in use in the NBL. The next largest being the Sydney Entertainment Centre which can seat 10,517 for Sydney Kings home games.

The Perth Wildcats home venue list is as follows:

• Perry Lakes Indoor Stadium - 1982-1986
• Claremont Superdrome (Now HBF Stadium) - 1987-1990
• Perth Entertainment Centre - 1990-2002
• Challenge Stadium (Now HBF Stadium) - 2002-2012
• Burswood Dome - 2004 (1 game)
• Perth Arena - 2012–present

Honour Roll

NBL Championships:	6 (1990, 1991, 1995, 2000, 2010, 2014)
NBL Finals Appearances:	28 (1987–present)
NBL Grand Final appearances:	11 (1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014)
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)
All-NBL First Team:	James Crawford (1987), Ricky Grace (1991, 2001–03), 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 Most Improved Player:	James Harvey (2001), Matt Burston (2003), Peter Crawford (2005)
NBL Best Defensive Player:	Damian Martin (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
NBL Best Sixth Man:	Stephen Black (2003), Jesse Wagstaff (2012)

Source: Perth Wildcats official website (note: where seasons span two years the ending year of season is shown)

Season-by-Season

Season	Results	Finals	Coach	Captain	MVP
1982	10th (10-16)	-	Henry Daigle	Mike Ellis	Tim Evans
1983	12th (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	3rd (21-7)	Elimination-Finalists	Alan Black	Andrew Vlahov	Ricky Grace
2001–02	2nd (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 (15-17)	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

Source: Perth Wildcats Year By Year

Summary

The Perth Wildcats' run of 28 straight playoff appearances is unmatched in major Australian professional sports and betters all the major American sports as well aside from two National Hockey League clubs.

The Wildcats' performance of making 28 straight NBL playoff appearances began right 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.

The first three years of playoffs action included a losing grand final series in 1987, but then the team featuring Ricky Grace, James Crawford and Mike Ellis, plus other legends of Australian basketball and coached by Alan Black/Cal Bruton, won the title in 1990 and repeated in 1991 coached by former NBA assistant Murray Arnold.

It took three more years for the club's third NBL title and that included losing the 1993 grand final series to the Melbourne Tigers. That next championship came in 1995 with Adrian Hurley coach, and Andrew Vlahov captain and MVP.

Four more years elapsed before the next championship came in the 1999/2000 season. Black had returned as coach and with Paul Rogers dominating as centre, and veterans Vlahov, Grace and Scott Fisher still around the Wildcats won their fourth title.

In the years in between the Wildcats still made the playoffs each season and even lost the grand final series to the Sydney Kings in 2003, but then in 2009/10, the Wildcats became the undisputed greatest NBL franchise with a fifth championship.

Now this season the Wildcats have again qualified for the playoffs for an amazing 28th straight appearance that is unprecedented in all of Australian sport, and almost unmatched in major world professional sporting leagues.

The most consecutive finals reached in VFL/AFL football is 13 by Hawthorn Hawks between 1982-94 while the NRL's St. George Illawarra Dragons came close with 23 between 1951-73. Super Rugby franchise the Crusaders from Canterbury, New Zealand, have made the semi-finals for the last 10 straight years.

In American sport, the Philadelphia 76ers (as the Syracuse Nationals) made the NBA playoffs 22 straight seasons between 1949/50-70/71 in what is the best run in the strongest basketball league in the world.

In Major League Baseball the best streak was by the Atlanta Braves who managed it 15 straight seasons between 1991-2005.

The only major professional league in the United States that has a better streak than the Perth Wildcats' 28 is in the NHL, with the Boston Bruins (1967/68-95/96) making it 29 consecutive times. The Chicago Blackhawks also had a run of 28 straight appearances.

Current roster

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Perth Wildcats roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. G 0 Beal, Jermaine (I) 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 92 kg (203 lb) SF 2 Daniels, DeAndre (I) 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 88 kg (194 lb) G 3 Dech, Sunday (DP) 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 85 kg (187 lb) SF 4 Hire, Greg  (VC) 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 99 kg (218 lb) SG 5 Ross, Earnest 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 103 kg (227 lb) F/C 9 Knight, Matthew 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) 109 kg (240 lb) F/C 10 Timms, Louis (DP) 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 100 kg (220 lb) C 13 Jervis, Tom 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) 105 kg (231 lb) F/C 20 Cody, Nic (DP) 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) 88 kg (194 lb) G 22 U'u, Drake 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 98 kg (216 lb) G/F 23 Muo, Mathiang 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 95 kg (209 lb) PF 24 Wagstaff, Jesse 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 100 kg (220 lb) PG 32 Fisher, Anthony (DP) 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) 78 kg (172 lb) F 34 Vague, Rhys (DP) 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 101 kg (223 lb) PF 42 Redhage, Shawn (VC) 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 103 kg (227 lb) PG 53 Martin, Damian (C) 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) 92 kg (203 lb)	Head coach Trevor Gleeson Assistant coach(es) Paul Woolpert Adam Tatalovich Jamie O’Loughlin Adam Forde (technical) Strength & conditioning coach(es) Josh Cavanagh Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Development player (I) Import player Injured Roster Updated: 17 September 2014

Depth Chart

Pos.	Starter	Bench	Bench	Reserve
C	Matthew Knight	Tom Jervis	Louis Timms
PF	Shawn Redhage	Jesse Wagstaff	Nic Cody
SF	DeAndre Daniels	Mathiang Muo	Rhys Vague	Greg Hire
SG	Jermaine Beal	Earnest Ross	Sunday Dech
PG	Damian Martin	Drake U'u	Anthony Fisher

30th Anniversary All-Star Team

On 4 February 2013, the Perth Wildcats announced their best team from the first three decades of the club at their 30th Anniversary Breakfast. The team was picked by 1995 championship coach Dr Adrian Hurley, The West Australian’s online sports editor Ross Lewis, and long-time basketball broadcaster John Gardiner.

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

External links

• National Basketball League official website
• Perth Wildcats official website