Bryce Cotton and Jordan Usher have found some much-needed form for the Perth Wildcats and the under-pressure home team responded to coughing up a 20-point lead to beat the Adelaide 36ers 99-88.
All the pressure was on the Wildcats for the battle with their old foes at RAC Arena on Saturday night after four consecutive losses.
Under-fire coach John Rillie mixed up his starting group, bringing in Hyrum Harris for opening night import hero Jordan Usher.
It didn’t work immediately with Adelaide opening an 11-point edge midway through the second quarter after triples from Next Star Trentyn Flowers and recent signing DJ Vasiljevic.
The 'Cats responded, finishing the half with a 23-6 run including a pair of three-pointers from Cotton as the three-time MVP found some momentum.
The Wildcats led 50-44 at the half and then Cotton hit three triples to open the second half with Perth's lead out to 20.
That didn’t last, though. Adelaide closed the third quarter with a 17-2 run to get back within five.
That momentum continued with the opening nine points of the final period, including back-to-back threes from backup forward Tohi Smith-Milner (11 points).
All the pressure was back on the home team. They had to dig deep and they did with Cotton, Usher and Next Star Alex Sarr (10 points, six rebounds) leading the way as they improved to 3-5.
Cotton had a season-best 29 points and four assists, with six three-pointers, while Usher responded well off the bench for 17 points and improved defence.
Rillie was happy with the win and the improved performance, but immediately turned his focus to a road clash with the league-leading Melbourne United on Monday.
"All I'm concentrating on is Melbourne United right now. We need to get a road win so we can move forward," he said.
"The only thing I care about is how our team performs. All I worry about is how I can get my team playing well and it's slowly but surely coming around."
The Sixers are now 3-6, with Trey Kell III their top-scorer with 25 points to go with six assists and five rebounds.
Vasiljevic added 14 points, Jason Cadee had 11 and Isaac Humphries had 10, but energetic import forward Jacob Wiley wasn’t seen after halftime.
Sixers coach CJ Bruton pinpointed Harris as the difference in the end – a player on his squad a season ago.
"You have all these guys around the league that we talk about as stars and how they make big plays, but the basketball one-on-one in between the lines will come down to who has heart and energy, and who can do the little things to get the win," Bruton said.
"Tonight, that was Hyrum Harris."
