Perth Wildcats — Adelaide: 98:97, NBL

Perth Wildcats defeated Adelaide 98 to 97 in the National Basketball League on 24 September 2026. The hosts held on for a narrow victory that keeps them in fourth place with 21 wins from 33 games. Adelaide remain second after 23 victories but lost ground on the day.

and here's the thing — a one-point margin tells you everything about how this finished. The visitors had more attempts from distance and more free throws, yet Perth's defensive rebounds and fewer turnovers made the difference. By then you could see which side wanted it more in the closing moments.

Perth recorded 28 rebounds to Adelaide's 29, with 24 assists compared to 22 for the visitors. The hosts committed 12 turnovers while Adelaide managed just six, which proved decisive. On offence Perth shot 8 from 23 field goals and 12 from 13 free throws, whereas Adelaide took 11 of 26 field goals and 24 of 33 from the line.

The result leaves Perth four points behind Adelaide in the standings, with both sides having played the same number of matches. A win like this against the second-placed side carries weight beyond what the table shows. To be fair, the gap remains tight enough that either could finish ahead.

Perth's recent form included heavy defeats, including a 79-100 loss to South East Melbourne on 19 September. Adelaide came into this match after beating Melbourne United 97-95 on the same date. The visitors had also shown resilience in a 92-91 win over Sydney Kings earlier in April.

A win like this against the second-placed side carries weight beyond what the table shows. To be fair, the gap remains tight enough that either could finish ahead. That is the kind of match that shifts momentum without changing the standings on paper.