The Perth Wildcats clawed back from 25 points down but could not complete the comeback, losing 99–91 to the Sydney Kings at RAC Arena on Wednesday night, 28 October 2026, after the visitors made their first 10 shots of the game.
The NBL27 Round 7 result was Sydney's seventh straight win over Perth and moved the reigning champions to 6–3, while the Wildcats slipped to 5–3, according to the NBL's match report.
A perfect start for Sydney
The Kings scored the first 10 points and did not miss from the field for roughly the first seven minutes, going 10 from 10 including five from five beyond the arc to lead 25–7. Local product Jayden Stone took the first missed shot.
Kendric Davis was flawless in the opening term, with 16 points on seven-from-seven shooting, and Sydney led 33–17 at quarter-time after hitting 13 of 14 from the field. The West Australian reported Perth shot 31 per cent in the first quarter.
The margin blew out to 25 in the second quarter before Perth finished the half on a 9–1 run, capped by a Cameron Huefner three on the buzzer, to trail 59–42 at the main break.
Knight leads the fightback
Brandon Knight, playing just his fourth game for the club, drove the response after half-time. The former NBA guard finished with 27 points, five rebounds and four assists, and the Wildcats won the third quarter 28–21 to trail 80–70 at the last change.
A 6–0 burst early in the fourth, finished by a Dylan Windler layup from a Kristian Doolittle assist, cut the deficit to four with 7:29 left, per the Wildcats' match report. Torrey Craig answered with back-to-back mid-range jumpers, and although Perth got within six with 21 seconds to go, Andrew Carr sealed it at the free-throw line.
Elijah Pepper added 17 points and Windler 16 despite foul trouble, while Doolittle scored only six but grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds. For Sydney, Craig had 26 points, Davis 24 with nine assists and seven rebounds, Carr 15, Makuach Maluach 14 on four-from-five three-point shooting, and Tyler Robertson 11.
Quarter by quarter
- First quarter: Kings 33, Wildcats 17
- Half-time: Kings 59, Wildcats 42
- Three-quarter time: Kings 80, Wildcats 70
- Final: Kings 99, Wildcats 91
Ignite Cup points salvaged
The game was Perth's first in the NBL's in-season Ignite Cup, which awards three points for a win and one point for each quarter won. By winning the third and fourth quarters, the Wildcats collected two points, though with clubs playing only four Cup games they face a climb up that table.
"No good for a moral victory"
Wildcats captain Jesse Wagstaff said Sydney's hot shooting left Perth chasing from the opening minutes, but he was not taking comfort from the comeback, the NBL reported.
"It's no good for a moral victory, but I think we had our chances, right, late." — Jesse Wagstaff, Perth Wildcats captain
Coach John Rillie said Perth was not disruptive enough early and spent the night reacting.
"We were just on the fly too much tonight, trying to chip back from 25 down." — John Rillie, Perth Wildcats coach
Kings coach Brian Goorjian rated it his side's best performance of the season, telling the NBL he was most pleased with how Sydney wrestled back momentum when the lead was cut to four.
"Tonight was the best and a step forward." — Brian Goorjian, Sydney Kings coach
What's next
The Wildcats stay at RAC Arena to host the bottom-placed Illawarra Hawks on Saturday night, 31 October, with Rillie saying the review will centre on how his side starts games. The Kings travel to Launceston to play the Tasmania JackJumpers on Friday night.
For Perth fans, Knight's growing influence is the clear positive, but a seventh straight loss to Sydney shows the gap the Wildcats still have to close against the league's best.
Photo: RAC Arena with its roof open (file photo). DaHuzyBru via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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