IT WAS another terrific performance from Perth Wildcats forward Kristian Doolittle in the National Basketball League (NBL) over the weekend, leading his side to a nine-point win over the Tasmania JackJumpers.

The JackJumpers welcomed the Wildcats to their home deck at MyState Bank Arena on Sunday afternoon in a big matchup for both sides. The JackJumpers were looming in sixth place, while the Wildcats were moving towards the top four themselves, so it could have been a potential postseason preview for the coming months.

It was an engaging battle for most of the contest, with the two teams hardly separated throughout the first three quarters. However, the Wildcats started the fourth quarter emphatically, going on a 10-2 run to start the term and holding the scoreboard separation for the rest of the match to claim an impressive road win.

Doolittle was the difference between the two sides, proving unstoppable on the offensive end and leading his team to a crucial victory as they moved closer to the top two after 13 rounds of play in the 2025/26 fixture.

Tasmania JackJumpers (85) def. by Perth Wildcats (94)

Kristian Doolittle – 30 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal

Breaking a personal form slump and continuing a magnificent individual season where he is thriving as the number one option for the Wildcats following the offseason departure of Bryce Cotton, Doolittle was again the man of the hour for Perth.

He came into the clash in some poor form having scored a combined 17 points across the past three games, but looked a different player at MyState Bank Arena. He found his range from behind the arc in the first half, which completely transformed the level of confidence he had in his own game and allowed him to play with freedom.

The JackJumpers tried different matchups on the import, but there was no slowing down Doolittle, who was a man on a mission in enemy territory. The forward was in the thick of it whenever he was on the floor, and Perth could rely on him for a basket whenever they were challenged by the opposition, which was something that could not be said when he was out of form and the team lost their scoring punch.

With the game on the line heading into the fourth quarter, Doolittle showed plenty of aggression, and just how definitive he can be within the context of a match when firing. After Tasmania tried to mount a late comeback, the air was sucked out of MyState Bank Arena when he threw down a vicious dunk and let the opposition know that he had just snatched back the momentum of the match.

Doolittle then iced the game at the free throw line to steer his team to victory and help the Wildcats claim a gutsy win away from home. His scoring power was one of the biggest factors of the match and drove Perth to a nice bounce back win.

His return to form culminated in 30 points on 12/18 shooting from the field and 3/5 shooting from behind the arc, showing how valuable he is to the Wildcats and their championship aspirations moving forward.