IN THE first postseason clash of the 2024/25 National Basketball League (NBL) season, a Keanu Pinder masterclass led the Perth Wildcats past the SEM Phoenix by 17 points in a high-scoring play-in clash at Perth HPC on Tuesday night.

The two sides were looking to lock in third spot and a place in the semi-final in what was an enthralling matchup between two form sides of the NBL. The Wildcats did have homecourt advantage, but not completely given their match had to be moved from RAC Arena due to scheduling conflicts. However, both teams had stormed up the standings in the second half of the fixture, setting up a blockbuster encounter to kick off what is shaping as an extremely tight race for the championship.

It was a tense match that was riddled with fouls, with the Wildcats storming out to a 20-4 lead in the opening term that was quickly slashed by the Phoenix thanks to a flurry of triples from Angus Glover. It was the second half that separated Perth from its opponents, with a 13-4 run on the eve of three-quarter time giving the Wildcats a boost heading into the final term. From there, it was all one-way traffic as the hosts pushed their lead out to as much as 23 points and finished the match in style as they booked a semi-final spot against Melbourne United in the coming weeks.

Pinder delivered one of the defining performances of his career in the win over the Phoenix on Tuesday, dominating the frontcourt and showing the Wildcats are more than just recently crowned MVP Bryce Cotton.

Perth Wildcats (122) def. South East Melbourne Phoenix (105)

Keanu Pinder – 35 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, one steal, two blocks

The Wildcats will head into the semi-finals with some confidence thanks to a game-breaking performance from Pinder, who stuffed the stat sheet in just 24 minutes of court time.

The big man did as he pleased against the Phoenix’s frontcourt, combining extremely well with Kristian Doolittle (20 points, 11 rebounds, five assists) to completely control the paint and prove a massive headache for the Phoenix.

Pinder has shown glimpses of performances this impactful in the past, but a lack of consistency has prevented him to be considered one of the premier players in the competition over the past two seasons with the Wildcats. However, this was a statement match, and demonstrated how gifted he is as a scorer, rebounder and defender.

In a high-scoring clash that saw a combined 227 points posted from the two teams, Pinder was certainly the standout. He made every post a winner in his time on the court, shooting a deadly 11/13 from the field and scoring across all three levels.

He provided plenty of highlights for the Wildcats, but his most memorable moment came late in the third quarter when scores were tied and the game was up for grabs. Pinder viciously swatted Phoenix star Matt Hurt‘s attempted lay-up, sparking a fast break for Perth, during which he stormed down the court and got on the end of a clever wrap-around pass from Tai Webster to throw down a thunderous slam and get the crowd on their feet.

Although he had plenty of success scoring inside and drawing contact from the opposition (Pinder went 10/10 from the charity stripe), the big man also showed his ability to stretch the floor, knocking down a pair of early triples to help the Wildcats get out to an early lead before splashing home his third shot from behind the arc when it was party time for the Wildcats in the fourth quarter.

He sealed the win with a dunk to cap off a 13-0 run from the Wildcats to close out the game, putting his stamp on a vital contest for the Wildcats. Whether it was scoring the ball, getting first hands on the rebound or swatting shots in the paint, Pinder was absolutely everywhere for the Wildcats and thrived with a height advantage over his direct opponent in the dangerous Hurt.

Although United are a daunting task given their postseason experience, the Wildcats will be boosted by a performance of this calibre from Pinder, who looks set for a big role in the semi-finals.