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Perth import Casey Prather believes his best is yet to come after producing the game-winning play in Sunday’s 91-90 NBL win over Cairns.
With scores locked 90-90 and just two seconds remaining, Prather drew a foul as he drove to the hoop.
Although his lay-up didn’t go in, he sealed the win by sinking his first free-throw.
The victory keeps the Wildcats second on the table with an 8-4 record, just one win adrift of league-leading Melbourne United.
Prather, who was signed by the Phoenix Suns in 2014 but failed to play a game for the NBA club, has improved steadily since arriving in Perth for the start of the NBL season.
The 24-year-old American finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and five assists against Cairns and he says it’s only a taste of things to come.
“I’m still getting better.
“My coach and teammates are doing a good job helping me understand the game a bit more.
“I’m a pretty confident player.”
Prather saved his best for the pressure-filled dying minutes against Cairns, nailing a crucial three-pointer before his winning free-throw.
“I shoot free-throws every day of my life, so it was routine,” he said of the game-defining moment.
“I love it. That’s what we play for.
“Growing up, you’re in the backyard going, ‘three, two, one’, and you shoot the ball. It’s the kind of thing you live for.”
Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson was happy with the win but quick to admit it was a somewhat sloppy display.
“I said to the guys it wasn’t pretty, we turned the ball over way too much and our work ethic on the glass wasn’t our normal self,” Gleeson said.
“But our spirit was first class. We stayed in the game when it could have gone either way.
“We’ll take a lot from that.”
The Wildcats will be back in action on Friday night when they host the in-form New Zealand Breakers at Perth Arena.
The Breakers (7-4) have shot up to third spot following three straight wins, with their most recent triumph a 80-69 victory over Melbourne United on Sunday.
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