'NBL1' Pepper rains threes in Wildcats blowout win

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NBL1 flamethrower Elijah Pepper brought his Warwick Senators heat to NBL26, pouring in a team-high 25 points on 9-from-11 as the Perth Wildcats dismantled the injury-riddled Cairns Taipans by 37 in Round 18 on Thursday, January 22, 2026 in Perth.

Pepper was 7-from-9 from deep in 25 minutes as the Wildcats tightened the race for fourth at 16-10, a game behind Melbourne United at 17-10.

"It felt great, especially after the last game where it felt like you couldn’t buy one," Pepper said.

"In this game, it felt like the rim was huge and you couldn’t miss. It just felt great. The guys found me in great spots and good rhythm.

"It feels good to see some of those go in."

Wildcats head coach John Rillie, who opted not to sign an import at the deadline last week, said it was a "professional" win and praised Pepper's ability to knock it down from deep.

"Obviously, we have the confidence in him to have moments like he did tonight," Rillie said.

"Him making those shots was important, but the way the team kept building, using his gravity, and making sure he got the ball was just as important.

"The toughest job is to make the shot, but the way his teammates were finding him in those moments was really good to see. You saw the bench and how they responded when he got on that heater. I think he had 20 points in the third quarter.

"To me, it was terrific shooting, but just as important was the way the team handled that moment and kept going to it. That was terrific to see."

Cairns head coach Adam Forde rued the fact his Taipans contributed to Pepper going on the heater.

"There was a sequence where Pepper comes off an on-ball action down our end," he explained.

"Mo King is slow to move, basically comes off, I think it was JLA (Jo Lual-Acuil Jr) that set the screen, and he drills a wide-open three. We go down the other end, we turn it over, and then we come back down. There’s a deflection out of court, no one’s really switched on, it’s a quick inbound, and Pepper just walks in uncontested and shoots a three. We burn a timeout.

"We made some subs because a lot of that was about whether we were ready and whether we were switched on. Even then, they ran a Spain action with (Kristian) Doolittle setting the Spain screen. For whatever reason, we switched it or didn’t switch it properly, because we sent two guys out to Doolittle, who doesn’t move, and JLA is wide open underneath the rim. Those were really bad mental fades. We burned a second timeout, I think within the first four minutes of the third quarter.

"It’s hard to recover from that. Perth were up and about, confidence took a hit from the group, and then we became stationary, robotic, panicked. We were airballing shots, airballing bunnies at the rim. Jack (McVeigh) was doing everything he could, but we were watching him.

"It was a straight confidence hit, and it was hard to recover.

"The message is that we can review this and pick it apart, but for the most part, we probably just need to watch this and think about what we want to do in the next seven games to recover from it."

Pepper's ability to score the ball is proven. He torched the NBL1 West in 2025 scoring +50 four times. The shooting guard averaged 36.2 points per game, 6.7 rebounds, 7.6 assists 2.2 steals, 87% from the free throw line and 51% from the field.

Elijah Pepper’s NBL1 Top 5 Scoring Nights

• April 5, 2025: 50 points; seven rebounds; and seven assists
• April 12, 2025: 52 points; three rebounds; and six assists
• April 17, 2025: 48 points; five rebounds; and eight assists
• April 26, 2025: 50 points; 10 rebounds; and five assists
• July 19, 2025: 59 points; four rebounds; and nine assists

Key Details

• Result: Perth Wildcats 106 def. Cairns Taipans 69
• When: Thursday, January 22, 2026
• Where: RAC Arena, Perth
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Elijah Pepper (Perth Wildcats) starred with 25 points, three rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes.
• Jack McVeigh (Cairns Taipans) scored 34 points and had four rebounds in 36 minutes.

What Happened‍

The Wildcats established early control with a dominant opening quarter, leading 30-25 after 10 minutes. Their superiority became increasingly evident in the second period as they extended their advantage to 54-43 at half-time, outscoring the Taipans 24-18 in a quarter that showcased their offensive efficiency.

The third quarter proved decisive as Perth exploded for 38 points while holding Cairns to a dismal 13 points. This 25-point differential effectively ended any hopes of a Taipans comeback, with the home side taking a commanding 92-56 lead into the final period.

With the game well beyond doubt, both teams emptied their benches in the fourth quarter. Perth managed just 14 points in garbage time while Cairns added 13, but the damage was already done as the Wildcats cruised to a 37-point victory.

Elijah Pepper was on fire for Perth, shooting an outstanding 81.82% from the field (9-from-11) and connecting on seven-from-nine attempts from downtown. His 77.8% three-point shooting was instrumental in stretching Cairns' defence and creating opportunities for his teammates throughout the contest.

Kristian Doolittle provided excellent support with 19 points on efficient 60% shooting, including a perfect three-from-three performance from beyond the arc. Dylan Windler contributed 15 points and five assists, while Jo Lual-Acuil Jr added 12 points and six boards in the paint.

For Cairns, Jack McVeigh's 34-point effort on 50% shooting was a lone bright spot in an otherwise disappointing performance. The captain connected on eight-from-15 attempts from deep, showcasing his range despite his team's struggles. Andrew Andrews managed eight points and eight assists but struggled with ball control, committing six turnovers.

Perth's superior shooting was the defining factor in this blowout victory. The Wildcats shot a solid 60.6% from the field compared to Cairns' poor 37.7%. From beyond the arc, Perth connected on 15-from-27 attempts (55.5%) while the Taipans managed just 10-from-30 (33.3%).

The rebounding battle heavily favoured the home side, with Perth cleaning the glass 43-27. Their eight offensive rebounds compared to Cairns' eight highlighted their second-chance opportunities and overall court control throughout the contest.

This dominant victory strengthens Perth's position in fifth place on the NBL ladder, improving their record to 17-9. The loss drops Cairns further down the standings to 7-19, leaving them in ninth position and facing an uphill battle to avoid finishing last.