Henshall grabs chance as 'Cats beat Hawks

Ben Henshall got his chance to run the ship for the Perth Wildcats and was instrumental in his team's 98-93 win at the NBL Blitz on the Gold Coast against the Illawarra Hawks.

Henshall was entrusted with the starting point guard role and the 20-year-old who is entering his second NBL season delivered 18 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals with 4/8 three-point shooting.

He played a key role in the Wildcats scoring the five-point win to remain undefeated two games into the Blitz while rookie Elijah Pepper also delivered 17 points with three makes from downtown.

Both teams had first up wins on the Gold Coast back on Sunday with the 'Cats pulling off a big comeback to beat the New Zealand Breakers, but they were without Tai Webster and Dylan Windler up against the Hawks.

Illawarra welcomed new import forward Darius Days to be at full strength aside from Daniel Grida, but it was Perth who made the hot start with 30 points to 16 in the first quarter with Henshall enjoying his starting role and knocking down a late three.

It was Days along with Hawks co-captains Sam Froling and Tyler Harvey who got their team back into the contest with 25 points in the second term to cut the Wildcats lead at the break to 47-41.

Another triple to Henshall early in the second half pushed the 'Cats lead back to double digits before Wani Swaka Lo Buluk helped keep the Hawks in touch.

Perth were back out to an eight-point lead with a four-point play from Michael Harris early in the fourth before Days knocked down a three ball to keep the Hawks in touch.

The big shots continued and a three ball from Kristian Doolittle had the Wildcats back out by eight and they ended up winning by five with Cotton having another 13 points, three rebounds and two assists in just 20 and-a-half minutes.

Doolittle ended up with 14 points and four rebounds, Michael Harris 12 points, eight boards, four assists and two steals, and Keanu Pinder seven points and seven rebounds.

Tyler Harvey top-scored for Illawarra with 16 points and two assists with 4/10 three-point shooting with Sam Froling delivering 15 points, four boards and four assists, and Darius Days 14 points and seven rebounds.

Both teams are in action on the Gold Coast again on Thursday with the Hawks first up against Melbourne United before the 'Cats face the Cairns Taipans.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL BLITZ

PERTH WILDCATS 98 (Henshall 18, Pepper 17, Doolittle 14)

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 93 (Harvey 16, Froling 15, Days 14)

BOX SCORE