White hot Jack and Delly's special delivery

• Jack White is rolling, had 26 points and 16 rebounds
• Melbourne stops Perth's winning streak at five
• United dominate Perth on the boards

In a thrilling display of championship-calibre basketball, Melbourne United snapped the Perth Wildcats' five-game winning streak with a nail-biting 99-93 victory (Game Centre) at RAC Arena on Wednesday, January 22, 2025.

Jack White's dominant 26-point, 16-rebound performance propelled United to their 10th win in 11 visits to Perth, solidifying their grip on third place in the NBL standings.

The match ebbed and flowed throughout, with United opening up a 13-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, only to see it whittled down to a single point with two minutes remaining.

It was then that the experienced Matthew Dellavedova stepped up, sinking two crucial baskets, including an and-one, to seal the win for Melbourne.

White's stellar outing was matched by a career-best 33-point effort from Perth's Kristian Doolittle, setting the stage for a fascinating individual duel. The intensity of the contest was palpable, with both teams aware of the playoff implications at stake. United's victory saw them improve to 16-10, while the Wildcats slipped to 15-10 and fourth place in the standings.

Melbourne's superiority on the glass proved decisive, out-rebounding Perth by 14, including 13 offensive boards that led to 13 crucial second-chance points. The visitors also enjoyed a significant advantage at the free-throw line, attempting 25 foul shots to Perth's 13.

Jack White's performance was nothing short of spectacular, as he dominated both ends of the court. His aggressive play set the tone early, and he finished the first half with 14 points and eight rebounds. White's ability to convert and-one opportunities just before halftime gave United momentum they never relinquished.

"It was a big milestone game for Bryce (Cotton) and we knew there was going to be a lot of juice in the building, not to mention the stage of the season we're at and how we're all competing for those top spots," White said post-game.

"Those are the types of games that you want to be in and you enjoy the most, and fortunately for us we were able to get the job done."

The match also marked a welcome return to form for Ian Clark, who contributed 16 points on 8-of-15 shooting. Clark's resurgence was particularly timely, given his recent struggles averaging just 5.5 points over the previous six games.

For Perth, despite the loss, coach John Rillie found positives for his younger players.

"Although we're disappointed in the result, we had moments, even at the end with how poorly we started the fourth quarter, to potentially win it," Rillie said.

"That was playoff basketball tonight, so for us to go through the remainder of the regular season and for those guys to live in those moments is only going to be beneficial."

Looking ahead, both teams face quick turnarounds. The Wildcats will host the bottom-placed Cairns Taipans on Saturday night, while Melbourne United travel to face the Brisbane Bullets on Sunday in their seventh consecutive road game.

With the playoffs looming and positions still up for grabs, every game takes on added significance in this tightly contested NBL season.