Perth Wildcats 98-97 Adelaide 36ers: One-Point Thriller Decided at the Buzzer

The Perth Wildcats opened their National Basketball League campaign with a nerve-shredding 98-97 victory over the Adelaide 36ers at a roaring RAC Arena, surviving a frantic final possession to edge a contest that neither side ever truly controlled. Trailing by as many as nine points in the third quarter and level six times across the second half, Perth found the decisive play in the closing seconds and then held their breath as Adelaide's last look rimmed out.

It was a result that said plenty about both teams: Perth's ability to win ugly at home, and Adelaide's growing reputation as one of the most dangerous road sides in the competition. The 36ers left Western Australia with nothing but a one-point margin and a reminder of how thin the margins are in the NBL.

Match Overview

• Competition: National Basketball League
• Final score: Perth Wildcats 98, Adelaide 36ers 97
• Venue: RAC Arena, Perth
• Tip-off: 24 September 2026, 7:30 pm local time
• Attendance: 13,412
• Quarter scores: Perth 26-23, 22-26, 27-22, 23-26

How the Game Unfolded

Perth came out aggressively, pushing the tempo off long rebounds and getting to the rim in transition. A 10-2 run midway through the opening period gave the Wildcats a 24-15 cushion, but Adelaide answered the way good teams do — patiently, through the half court, attacking the mismatch inside and kicking out to shooters when the defence collapsed.

The second quarter belonged almost entirely to the visitors. Adelaide's ball movement stretched Perth's rotations, and a 9-0 burst flipped the game on its head, sending the 36ers into the main break with a 49-48 lead. Perth's offence had gone static, settling for contested jumpers and turning the ball over on consecutive possessions.

The third quarter was the Wildcats at their best. A defensive adjustment at the point of attack produced three straight stops, and Perth converted each one into points at the other end. A 12-3 run restored a seven-point advantage, and the home crowd — sensing a statement win — lifted the noise level another notch. Perth led 75-71 with ten minutes to play.

Key Moments

The fourth quarter delivered everything the first three had promised. Adelaide clawed back to level at 88-88 with under four minutes remaining, then took a one-point lead on a tough finish in traffic. Perth responded with a three from the wing, only for the 36ers to draw level again at 95-95 inside the final minute.

With the shot clock winding down, Perth's star guard isolated at the top of the key, created separation with a step-back and buried the go-ahead jumper to make it 98-96. Adelaide had one last answer: a pair of free throws cut the deficit to one, and after Perth missed the front end of a one-and-one, the 36ers had 4.2 seconds and a full-court look. The final attempt — a well-contested pull-up from the elbow — rattled in and out, and RAC Arena erupted.

Tactical Story of the Night

Perth's win was built on paint touches and second-chance points. The Wildcats out-rebounded Adelaide 44-37 and turned 12 offensive boards into 17 points, a margin that ultimately proved decisive in a one-point game. Their pick-and-roll coverage also tightened considerably after halftime, forcing Adelaide's guards into mid-range pull-ups rather than clean looks at the rim.

Adelaide, for their part, were the more efficient half-court team for long stretches. They shot the ball well from deep and generated quality looks through dribble hand-offs and back-cut actions, but the free-throw line betrayed them late — a 14-of-21 night from the stripe is the kind of detail that decides one-point games on the road.

Standout Performers

• Perth Wildcats: 28 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists from the starting guard, including the game-winning basket; 17 points and 10 rebounds from the starting centre; 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the bench forward.
• Adelaide 36ers: 26 points and 8 assists from their lead guard; 18 points and 9 rebounds from the interior anchor; 15 points from the wing, including four three-pointers.

Perth's bench outscored Adelaide's 32-24, and their defensive rebounding late in the fourth quarter — three straight clean boards under pressure — was the quiet difference between winning and losing.

What It Means for the Season

The result moves Perth to 1-0 and hands them an early psychological edge in what has become one of the NBL's most reliably entertaining rivalries. Home wins over quality opposition are currency in a league where the playoff race is typically decided by two or three games.