'Nothing to see here' except everything all at once

• 2025-26 NBL Team Lists and Roster Tracker
• ‘Catch 22’: Analysing our most coveted coaching jobs
• All 92 games of the 2025-26 WNBL season

One game ... so many story lines.

• Melbourne United's Chris Goulding's 500th NBL game
• Perth Wildcats' Sunday Dech's 200th NBL game
• 10-time NBL referee Michael Aylen officiating his 950th NBL game, passing Ray Hunt.
• 4th vs 5th in a playoff atmosphere
• NBL champion Milton Doyle showed form is temporary but class is permanent.
• And a "nothing to see here" as Wildcats stars Kristian Doolittle and Jo Lual-Acuil Jr go into it after the final buzzer and had to be separated by teammates.

That was the Perth Wildcats versus Melbourne United in Round 18 of NBL26 at RAC Arena in Perth on Sunday, January 25, 2026.

It was a statement 74-73 win for United, on the road and in a hostile arena, with Doyle draining two ice-in-his-veins threes, the last putting Melbourne in front with 33 seconds to go.

But it was after the final buzzer that teammates Doolittle and Jo Lual-Acuil Jr were caught in the heat of the moment, going at each other as teammates, including head coach John Rillie's injured son Jaron, stepping in to keep the players apart.

Wildcats skipper Jesse Wagstaff said: "I didn’t see it, but look, I think those things happen. I think the care factor is there, and the last thing you want is guys to not care or to go down in a game like that and be okay with it.

"I didn’t see it fully, I only saw the back end of it, but these things happen in sport. They happen in practice, they happen every year. I’ve been a professional, and it’s passion, and the passion is good.

"Again, I don’t know the full extent of it, but I’m sure we’ll address it, and as I said, the care factor is there."

Rillie said: "I’m aware of it, but I haven’t seen the vision.

"I think that demonstrates what was on the line and how players approach these moments. Without having seen the vision, those things happen in high-energy situations, and it’s something that you need to address.

"I will appropriately address the situation when I understand the situation to its fullest magnitude."

But it won't overshadow how clutch Doyle was. He finished with 24 points on 7-from-14 from the field including those two dagger three-balls to win it for the now 18-10 United.

United head coach Dean Vickerman said: "We know how clutch he is as a player, and the composure he has in big moments. Once he had that one in his left hand and was isolated against Joe, I think all our bench knew what shot he was going to shoot. It was pretty heavily contested, but it was a great play from him."

Clutch Possessions – Last 2:00 Only

1:38 – Melbourne down 71–69

• Milton Doyle hits a step-back three (assist Tanner Krebs). Melbourne leads 72–71.

1:20 – Perth down 72–71

• Kristian Doolittle misses a turnaround jumper.
• Melbourne defensive rebound.

1:06 – Melbourne down 71–69 (prior score correction)

• Finn Delany draws contact and converts 2-of-2 free throws. Melbourne leads 71–69.

0:51 – Perth down 71–69

• Kristian Doolittle misses a pull-up jumper.
• Jo Lual-Acuil Jr offensive rebound.

0:46 – Perth

• Jo Lual-Acuil Jr converts a tip-in. Perth leads 73–71.

0:33 – Melbourne

• Milton Doyle knocks down a step-back three. Melbourne leads 74–73.

0:18 – Perth

• Kristian Doolittle misses a pull-up three.
• Finn Delany defensive rebound.

0:00

• Melbourne closes the possession to secure the result.

Vickerman finally had time to take a breath in the post game press conference and paid tribute to Aylen and Goulding on their milestones.

"Yeah, we’ve had some amazing games with Perth," he said.

"Firstly, obviously congratulations to Michael Aylen. When you see 950 games, that’s pretty incredible. And yeah, the multicultural round is something that we’ve been doing for a long time at our club, and to see Perth kind of grab it as well, I think it’s just a good statement about what basketball is about.

"It’s for everybody, and we’re represented by a lot of different cultures in all our teams and in the league, so to celebrate that is pretty special.

"Obviously CJ playing 500 was important. Probably not his best game tonight, but his celebration in the locker room and just finding a way to get a win was pretty special. It was gutsy without Tyson (Walker). Milt had to do a lot for us tonight, and other people had to do a lot for us as well, so it was a gutsy win.

Walker exited in the first half after getting an elbow in the face.

"He took a shot to the jaw, Vickerman said.

"We did our concussion testing and he passed that, so from that point it was just precautionary to say we didn’t think it was good for him to go back out there today. We think he’ll be fine for next week. Any time there’s a head knock, there are concerns, and certainly at our club we’ve had a number of them.

"By the time we got back to the locker room, he was really good. There was an opportunity to play him again if we really wanted to, but we shut it down."

United centre Jesse Edwards had a monster ball game going up against JLA. Edwards finished with 18 points and 17 rebounds.

"Jesse was huge as well," Vickerman said.

"Early foul trouble, but he probably played around 26 minutes, which was important. We put him in moments where he could have picked up another foul, but he managed himself well. His intent to go after every board tonight was massive. There were rebounds he didn’t come up with and ones he got fouled on, but for us to win the game, that last rebound with Jesse and Finn coming up with the loose ball were the defensive moments we needed when the offense wasn’t ticking.

"Jesse taking his time down on the block and finishing, and his free throw is looking better. He’s a tough cover right now."

Rillie said despite fourth on the ladder being on the line the clash was important for the development of his squad.

"The game has an implication on the ladder, but as I’ve said throughout the year, it’s about how we’re playing versus the ladder, the opposition, and all of that," Rillie said.

"As I said, we had opportunities both offensively and defensively to really assert ourselves in the game, and we just didn’t.

I can’t ignore the body of work we’ve done over the last month either, because that was a playoff-style game. We’ll have another one on Wednesday night, so we’re getting good rehearsal for what’s coming in about a month’s time.

"I also think with our current roster with (Elijah) Pepper, (Ben) Henshall and some of the other young guys, these are great opportunities for them to understand these moments before we really get thrown in the deep end."

Key Details

• Round: 18
• Result: Melbourne United 74 def. Perth Wildcats 73
• When: Sunday, January 25, 2026
• Where: RAC Arena, Perth
• Attendance: 12,707
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Jo Lual-Acuil Jr (Perth Wildcats) starred with 24 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block in 28 minutes.
• Milton Doyle (Melbourne United) delivered 24 points, four rebounds, eight assists, and two steals in 24 minutes.

What Happened

The contest at RAC Arena was a nail-biter from start to finish, featuring a 22 lead changes and both teams trading blows across all four quarters. Perth established early dominance, racing to a 24-12 lead at the end of the first period behind Lual-Acuil Jr’s outstanding work in the paint. Melbourne United, however, flipped the script in the second quarter, outscoring the Wildcats 26-16 as Finn Delany and Jesse Edwards found their rhythm, slicing the deficit to just two points by half-time.

Momentum continued to swing in the third quarter, with both teams struggling to break away. Defensive intensity ramped up, and scoring slowed, as each side managed only 12 points in a playoff intensity period. Heading into the fourth, Perth clung to a slender lead, but United’s resilience set the stage for a dramatic finish.

Lual-Acuil Jr’s efficiency was elite, shooting 10-from-17 from the field and cleaning the glass with 11 boards. Dylan Windler contributed eight rebounds and six points, while Doolittle poured in 19 points, though his shooting (7-from-19) was less efficient. For United, Doyle’s all-round ability was matched by Jesse Edwards, who dominated the boards with 17 rebounds and added 18 points on an exceptional 66% shooting. Delany added eleven points and four boards, providing vital support in the frontcourt.

Perth shot just 37.7% from the field and struggled from outside, connecting on just 4-from-25 triples (16%). Melbourne fared similarly, hitting 36% from the field and 6-from-24 from deep (25%). The rebounding battle was a key differential, with United pulling down a commanding 51 boards to Perth’s 40. Both teams struggled to control the ball, each recording 14 turnovers, underlining the defensive pressure on display.

This result has significant implications in the NBL standings, with United’s road win potentially boosting their fourth-placed credentials. Perth, meanwhile, will rue missed opportunities after leading for over 34 minutes but failing to close out in crunch time.