3 Mar 2014

Perth close in on NBL minor premiership

7:17 am on 3 March 2014

Perth have virtually clinched the NBL basketball minor premiership and plunged Sydney into a desperate dogfight for a finals place after beating the Kings 85-81 in NSW.

The Wildcats (19-6) were the only one of the top four teams to win, allowing resurgent fifth-placed Wollongong (11-13) to creep closer to a finals position.

The Hawks chalked up a fifth straight victory with a 91-89 home win over second-placed Adelaide (15-9).

The 36ers loss means Perth need to win just one of their next three games to secure top spot.

The only way Adelaide can finish first is if the Wildcats lose all of their remaining games and the 36ers win each of their's as wells as overturn a -22 for and against points split against the western Australian club in their final regular season clash in Adelaide on March 14th.

The New Zealand Breakers' prospects of making the finals and winning a fourth straight title faded with a 1-1 record over the round.