Pepper’s 18-month hot streak leaves rivals feeling the burn

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The game-winner from Perth Wildcats shooting guard Elijah Pepper ($202,700) was always coming.

It was only a matter of time before the 25-year-old from Shepparton knocked down a winner he later described as the biggest shot of his career, and "I don't even think it's close."

The Wildcat banked an and-1 three on Bryce Cotton ($473,900) with one second left to beat the Adelaide 36ers 98-97 on September 24.

"It might have been the longest post-up of all time, for starters," Pepper said.

"But I just remember coming off, and BC was able to turn me once or twice, and I knew the clock was kind of running low and had to get it up.

"When I was kind of sweeping through, he put his hands in there, and I knew just if you go up with it, they're going to call the foul, and happened to make it as well.

"That wasn't exactly the play that was drawn up. We have stuff set up for that, but he was, as I said, kind of able to turn me a couple of times, which made it tough to get into those actions.

"By the time I got to the three-point line, I think there were only two seconds left or something like that. So, kind of just had to get one up, and he just happened to reach when I was going to shoot."

Pepper finished with 25 points on 10-for-17, including 3-for-7 from three, 5.8 points above his average since April 2025. It was the 24th time he'd scored 25 or more in 75 games since April last year. In Perth's next two games he had back-to-back 25-point performances to make it 27 in 77.

Pepper is one of Australia's hottest scorers of the past 18 months.

In 77 games across the NBL, NBL1 and the Australian Boomers, he's averaging 19.5 points on 44.8 per cent from the field and 35.1 per cent from three. He's made 88.6 per cent of his free throws, a figure that includes the intentional miss at the end of the win over the 36ers.

All 77 games since April 2025

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• 1,499 points
• 59.3 per cent true shooting, including 64.9 per cent in NBL1 West
• 515-for-1,149 from the field (44.8 per cent)
• 279-for-476 on twos (58.6 per cent)
• 236-for-673 from three (35.1 per cent)
• 233-for-263 from the line (88.6 per cent)

He's gone from averaging 36 points in NBL1 West to scoring 25 in each of his last three games for Perth, winning all six of his games for the Boomers along the way.

He opened 2025 with 50, 51 and 48 in his first three games for the Warwick Senators and finished the season averaging 36.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists across 23 games, shooting 38.3 per cent from three. He passed 50 four times, topped by 59 (then a league record) on 22-from-31 against the South West Slammers in July, and never scored fewer than 20. Warwick won 19 of his 23 games but lost the grand final 81-78 to Geraldton, despite his 33.

NBL26 was a slower climb. Over Perth's first 14 regular-season games, he averaged 7.1 points in 16.9 minutes on 34.1 per cent shooting. Over the last 19, his minutes rose to 28.6 and his scoring to 13.3, including 25 against Cairns on January 22, when he made seven of nine threes. He averaged 10.7 points across all 33 regular-season games, then 9.0 on 31.8 per cent shooting in four finals as Sydney knocked Perth out in the semi-finals.

The Boomers have been his best form outside NBL1. He has played six games in green and gold for six wins, averaging 16.8 points and shooting 41.3 per cent from three. He scored 28 in Manila in March and 32 against Syria in August, when he made eight of 12 threes.

NBL27 is where it has come together. After 19 in the opening loss to South East Melbourne, he has scored 25 in each of Perth's three straight wins. He is averaging 23.5 points on 45.7 per cent shooting, and his SuperCoach price has risen $30,100.

Perth are 3-1 and still haven't had a true point guard.

He is a leading candidate for NBL27's Most Improved Player and is quietly building an MVP-type four-game stretch to start the season: 23.5 points (up from 10.5 across NBL26, finals included), 3.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds on 46 per cent shooting.

Pepper is also working his way into contention for the Australian Boomers for the 2027 FIBA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

In the meantime, Wildcats import point guard Brandon Knight ($277,000), who arrived in Perth on September 30, will take over primary ball-handling duties, and we'll see how head coach John Rillie gets Pepper his shots.

The Wildcats have a full week to work it out. They host the New Zealand Breakers on October 10, 2026, at 9.30pm (AEDT).