Perth coach John Rillie admits his team’s lack of a true point guard is putting too much pressure on an undermanned roster, as the Wildcats await the availability of star import Brandon Knight.<\/p>\n
Kristian Doolittle was again a standout performer in the 21-point loss to the South East Melbourne Phoenix, finishing with 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds, but Rillie admits the weight of numbers eventually caught up against a quality outfit. <\/p>\n
It’s a problem Rillie flagged even before the season opener, telling reporters last week that Perth would need to spread the point guard duties across the roster.<\/p>\n
“We’re not having a point guard, we’re going to have to move on from that fact. It’s the players’ responsibility to make the right decisions, play with poise, not get caught up in their frenetic pace. That’s on every individual.<\/p>\n
“Just with where our roster is, everyone has had good opportunity in the pre-season, and then without Brandon and Jaron [Rillie], there’s going to be opportunity all over the floor.”<\/p>\n
Following the loss, Rillie doubled down on that message.<\/p>\n
“I’ve got to coach the team that I have available. Us as a group, we can only manufacture what we can with the bodies available,” Rillie said.<\/p>\n
“As you saw on Saturday, we had some periods where we functioned great, but then there are moments where having a point guard that understands what the game needs in that moment would be helpful, but that’s not who we are.<\/p>\n
“So we need to forge and continue to grow and move forward, and different guys get different experience at understanding what this is about.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Rillie wouldn’t confirm when former Knight would be available to play, having only signed with the club last week.<\/p>\n
But in the short term, Doolittle needs help.<\/p>\n
“I think we’re asking a lot of him to do that on a regular basis when we’re asking him to defend, rebound, run offence, score,” Rillie said.<\/p>\n
“That’s a lot to ask of one guy over the course of 30, 35 minutes in a game.<\/p>\n
“We need to find ways that we can allow the game to be a little easier for him.”<\/p>\n
It was a night to forget for two of Perth’s starters, with Dylan Windler managing just two points in 25 minutes and Anthony Dell’Orso held scoreless in 19. Elsewhere, Elijah Pepper (19 points), Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. (20 points, eight rebounds) and veteran Jesse Wagstaff (11 points) all made their presence felt, with the latter sparking a third-quarter fightback that briefly cut Perth’s deficit to three points.<\/p>\n
South East Melbourne pulled away again in the fourth, with Next Star Dash Daniels finishing with 24 points and 12 rebounds in his Phoenix debut.<\/p>\n
The Wildcats host club legends Bryce Cotton, Trevor Gleeson and the Adelaide 36ers on Thursday.<\/p>\n