THE REIGNING champions have been handed their second loss in as many games in the 2025/26 NBL season, as a Jo Lual-Acuil-led Perth Wildcats defeated the Illawarra Hawks by eight points at RAC Arena on Thursday night.

It was an intriguing clash on paper, given the Wildcats had finally gotten on the board last weekend with a big win over the New Zealand Breakers, while the Hawks were still searching for their first win of the season, having started their campaign in Round 2 with a loss at the hands of the Tasmania JackJumpers, despite a starring performance from JaVale McGee.

Perth hosted last year’s champions out west and was stunned in the first quarter when the Hawks looked back to their best, taking a 10-point lead into the first change. However, the second and third periods belonged to the Wildcats as they steadied and stormed out to a lead as large as 17 points, which the Hawks were able to reel in during the final minutes of the match to make the margin more respectable.

In an enthralling battle with McGee, Lual-Acuil was able to lead his side to victory in an impressive manner, taking charge for the Wildcats on the offensive end and ensuring the Hawks remain winless after two games.

Perth Wildcats (92) def. Illawarra Hawks (84)

Jo Lual-Acuil – 22 points, three rebounds, one assist, two steals, three blocks

It was a performance reflective of Lual-Acuil’s hefty contract, showing why the Wildcats recruited him following the departure of Bryce Cotton and demonstrating the big man is capable of leading Perth back into the finals.

After starting the match with a pair of attempts from long-range after being left wide open, Lual-Acuil spent some time on the bench following a quiet start. However, he returned to the fold a few minutes later, and got back to his best, drawing contact and converting at the free throw line. The center also nailed a turnaround jumper to steady the ship after the opposition got out to a hot start.

He started the second quarter with some excellent effort-based plays, first blocking Todd Blanchfield‘s attempted layup, before backing it up with a nice tip-in layup after following the miss. The big man continued to protect the paint by swatting Mason Peatling‘s attempted jumper later in the term as well as Daniel Grida‘s layup to record three blocks for the quarter, as well as a late steal to cap off a great defensive showing.

Lual-Acuil started the third term in style, stealing the ball and finishing the layup in transition as the Wildcats continued their dominance from the second period. A pair of layups followed and the star recruit was beginning to have a massive say in the match. Going head to head with McGee, Lual-Acuil nailed a turnaround jumpshot and a fourth layup for the quarter in a matter of minutes to help Perth break the game open in the penultimate period with 10 points in no time at all.

The fourth quarter saw the center continue to show dominance inside the paint, driving inside and either finishing at the basket, or drawing contact and showing composure at the free throw line. His ability to generate points at the charity stripe helped seal the game for the Wildcats as Perth held on for a gutsy win against a quality opponent.

Lual-Acuil finished with a team-high 22 points on 8/14 shooting from the field and 6/11 shooting from the charity stripe, improving his efficiency in the latter as the game went on. He was also rock-solid defensively with three blocks and two steals in a dominant two-way performance that was crucial in the result of the match.