A post-game exchange sparked debate following the Perth Wildcats’ 86-74 victory over the Adelaide 36ers on February 20, 2026, at RAC Arena.
With the Wildcats comfortably ahead by double digits and just 10 seconds remaining, Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. Sealed the win with a dunk that drew the ire of 36ers coach Mike Wells. The play led to a heated discussion between the two coaches during the post-game handshake.
Wells voiced his displeasure in the post-game press conference, stating, “It wasn’t a big deal to me what happened at the end, but I didn’t think JLA needed to go and score at the end when the points differential was no longer a factor for either team. Both teams were in the playoffs already, so I saw no real need.”
Wildcats head coach John Rillie defended his player’s actions, responding, “Mike can have his thoughts on those moments that happen in a game, but I’m fine with what happened. Americans often don’t understand the cultural difference, so it’s a learning experience.”
The incident quickly ignited a league-wide discussion about appropriate end-of-game etiquette. Although both coaches attempted to downplay the situation, it raised questions about unwritten rules and sportsmanship in the NBL.
Traditionally, NBL teams compete until the final buzzer, especially during the regular season when point differential can impact playoff seeding. However, with both teams already securing playoff berths, the late dunk felt unnecessary to some.
On Monday’s episode of NBL Overtime, Felix von Hofe explained Wells’ perspective, saying, “He is a hardened NBA guy and that is a cardinal sin in the NBA.”
However, von Hofe’s fellow panelists, Damon Lowery and Pete Hooley, offered differing viewpoints. Lowery suggested Wells may have overreacted, stating, “Mike hasn’t been here long enough to know [the protocols here in the NBL], because that can start a fight in the NBA.”
Lowery added, “I was the same when I first got here. I was like, what are you doing, taking shots? The thing is … We saw Melbourne United miss out on the Finals by one bucket [a few seasons ago]. [Honestly] if you’re going to get offended by that, Make sure to have been playing better defence and you should have got back on defence.”
Hooley agreed, emphasizing the importance of playing until the final whistle. “Mike is saying, in this particular instance, where everything was set and no one could move [on the ladder], the two points wasn’t going to change anything,” Hooley said. “But we’re still in the regular season, so you can’t just switch off the mentality because every bucket matters. We play to the whistle.”
“I’ve got no issue with teams that continue to play until the end of the final siren, because that’s what you do in Finals, when point differential isn’t a factor.”
The NBL26 Finals are set to begin on Wednesday, March 4, with a Seeding Qualifier between South East Melbourne and Perth at John Cain Arena at 7:30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.
