Nick Kay posted a double-double as the Perth Wildcats prepared for a tough road stretch with a dominant win over newcomers South East Melbourne Phoenix in their annual Pink Game on Friday night.
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It was their first game against the NBL's newest side, who came into the game as one of two undefeated teams.
Perth controlled the game from the get-go, but it was a blistering 17-2 run to close out the first half which did the majority of the damage to the visitors.
Terrico White scored eight points including a highlight-reel alley-oop courtesy of a Bryce Cotton pass.
In fact, the game was stacked with highlights, as the Wildcats nailed 15 threes and six different places got above the rim for dunks.
But it was the Wildcats best defensive performance of the season that impressed coach Trevor Gleeson most.
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"It was much better Wildcats basketball than this time last Friday. The guys were really switched on and defensively we were first class. We set the tone pretty early with how we were going to defend for the rest of the game," he said.
"Damian Martin set the tone, Mitch Norton carried it on and we had some good input from everyone. It was a really good game for us."
Perth scored a season-high 110, but none of its players had more than 20 - though six had more than 10.
Terrico White led the way with 17 while Bryce Cotton impressed again with 16 plus eight dimes.
Kay came up with another double-double with 12 points and 13 boards, while Rhys Vague added 12 in the fourth quarter alone.
The Wildcats' next assignment is against Illawarra in Wollongong on Sunday.
