Perth Wildcats coach John Rillie is desperate for star Jo Lual-Acuil to stay on the NBL court after more fouls

Perth Wildcats coach John Rillie has expressed immense frustration at the way star big man Jo Lual-Acuil jnr is being refereed out of games after the Wildcats lost to Illawarra by one point while the powerful recruit watched from the bench. The Wildcats lost 85-84 after Lual-Acuil fouled out with 3:56 on the clock and his team leading by five points. Lual-Acuil has consistently found himself in foul trouble in recent games and also fouled out against the Sydney Kings. He’d scored 18 points, had 12 rebounds and three blocks before leaving the game and his absence was telling as JaVale McGee took over. McGee scored seven points after Lual-Acuil fouled out, produced the winning free throw and finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds. “What I will say for everyone that comes into an arena across the NBL and gets paid somehow through basketball is that players are the superstars. Only the players are the superstars. Let’s not get lost on why everyone is here,” Rillie said. “What I would say about this is I could come in here, pound the desk and say my players need to be looked after – in (referee’s boss) Scott Butler I trust.” Rillie had been so desperate to keep Lual-Acuil in the game that he used his Coach’s Challenge when his fifth foul was called. That one appeared unlikely to be overturned. That challenge would have been valuable at the end of the match when Kristian Doolittle controversially fouled McGee with scores level and only 1.2 seconds remaining. McGee made one of his two free throws to win the game leaving the crowd livid. The match swung wildly in the second half. Perth shooting woes plunged to new depths. They made only one of their 17 three-point attempts in the first half. Perth entered the clash having shot at 29.7 per cent from three-point range across their seven games but continued to back themselves. They were still one basket from 24 three-point attempts during the final quarter before making three in a row. Then they had no option other than to draw up a three-point play with 4.5 seconds left and Elijah Pepper, who missed all of his seven shots from the perimeter earlier in the game, made the crucial shot. Rillie said they will continue to back themselves. “We were one of 17 at half-time from three. I think the majority of those were good looks for us. At the end of the game, basketball is a game about making shots,” he said. “I’m not concerned. When I watch film, it’s about the quality. Are they good quality shots for that person? If they are, I have no issue because that’s what they’re paid to do.” Ben Henshall scored 17 points, Pepper finished with 12 and captain Jesse Wagstaff won crucial contests and made big plays despite playing with a black eye. Tyler Harvey scored 24 points for the Hawks and made five three-pointers. Perth are now 4-4 heading into a difficult part of their draw. Their next three games are all interstate with clashes against Tasmania, South East Melbourne and then the highly anticipated clash with Bryce Cotton in Adelaide. The Wildcats’ new import David Duke jnr will land in Australia on Monday after signing during the week.