Lual-Acuil, Windler Lift Wildcats to Gritty Win in Cairns

Jo Lual-Acuil Jr and Dylan Windler delivered a powerhouse performance to drag the Perth Wildcats over the line in a thrilling 80–77 win against the Cairns Taipans at the Cairns Convention Centre on Friday night.

In a game that swung wildly from start to finish, the Wildcats’ star frontcourt duo combined for 56 points and 21 rebounds to secure Perth’s third win of the season. Lual-Acuil Jr capped it off with a decisive putback in the dying seconds as the Taipans’ last-gasp effort from Andrew Andrews rimmed out, sealing a hard-fought victory.

Lual-Acuil Jr was unstoppable in the paint, producing 30 points and 10 rebounds on 12-of-20 shooting — the third 30-point game of his 134-game NBL career. Windler was just as influential, adding 26 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two steals while shooting 11-of-15 from the floor in another commanding display from the left-handed American.

The Wildcats showed resolve throughout the contest. They jumped to a 13–4 start behind Lual-Acuil’s early dominance, only to watch Cairns rally to tie the game at 23–23 after the opening quarter. The Taipans surged ahead in the second term with an 11–0 run that included triples from Admiral Schofield and Reyne Smith, but Perth closed the half strong to trail by just two at the main break.

The third quarter saw both teams trade blows. Perth briefly led by seven before Cairns answered through Andrews and Marcus Lee, who was a force inside before foul trouble limited his impact. By three-quarter time, the Wildcats held a narrow 61–60 advantage.

Windler opened the fourth with seven quick points to stretch the lead to five, but the Snakes responded with back-to-back buckets from Andrews and Jack McVeigh. That set the stage for a tense finish. With the game on the line, Lual-Acuil took over again — scoring six straight points to put Perth ahead for good, then sealing it with a tip-in off a missed shot with 12 seconds left.

Cairns had one final look, but Andrews’ contested three bounced off the rim as the buzzer sounded.

For Perth, development guard Jaron Rillie again made a quiet but critical contribution. Trusted in crunch time, the son of coach John Rillie posted six points, three rebounds, and two assists in 21 minutes. Remarkably, the Wildcats have outscored opponents by 62 points in his first 41 NBL minutes — a stat that underlines his growing impact.

The Taipans slipped to 2–3 but fought bravely. Andrews led with 21 points and three assists, Schofield added 16 and four boards, and Lee notched a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds to go with three blocks. Smith finished with 11 points, while McVeigh had nine points, eight rebounds and six assists in a selfless performance.

The result pushes Perth to 3–1 and back into the Ignite Cup frame after consecutive road wins. The Wildcats now return home to host the Brisbane Bullets on Wednesday night, while the Taipans face a daunting trip to unbeaten Melbourne United on Sunday.

Final score: Perth Wildcats 80 defeated Cairns Taipans 77.