Cairns didn't need to wait for a late miracle in Perth. The Taipans built their advantage with a barrage of three-pointers, then found enough composure to protect it when the Wildcats threatened, winning 100–92 at RAC Arena on Sunday, 8 November. Jack McVeigh poured in 36 points and Jaylon Brown added 22, but the bigger story was how many ways Cairns made Perth defend — and how little room the Wildcats had to recover from another poor stretch.
McVeigh hit eight of his 15 attempts from deep, while Brown made six of 10. Together they accounted for 14 triples and 58 points. McVeigh had 16 points in the opening quarter alone, helping Cairns to a 31–27 lead, and reached 23 by half-time as the visitors went to the break ahead 53–48. That wasn't simply a hot individual shooting night: Cairns kept stretching the floor, forcing Perth to account for multiple threats rather than loading up on one scorer.
The supporting contributions mattered. Veteran Shaun Bruce scored 14 points and made all three of his three-point attempts. Keanu Pinder finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Malique Lewis delivered six blocks alongside nine points and five rebounds. Cairns had the shot-making to build the lead and enough activity elsewhere to make it difficult to erase.
Perth did have a response. Elijah Pepper scored 26 points, Kristian Doolittle added 20 and the Wildcats got within five points with roughly two and a half minutes remaining. But a Jonah Bolden pass set up a Lewis finish, then Brown forced a turnover that became a Bruce lay-up. That short sequence was the difference between a tense finish and another escape attempt: Cairns answered pressure with an inside score and a defensive play rather than relying on another contested three.
For Perth, the fourth consecutive loss is particularly uncomfortable because nine of its first 11 games have been played at RAC Arena. The Wildcats slipped to 5–6, while Cairns improved to 7–6. Home court is supposed to provide a platform; instead, Perth heads into another home fixture needing to arrest a run that has already eaten into its early-season position.
There's a useful lesson for Cairns, too. McVeigh's 36 will command the attention, but Brown's five assists and three steals, Pinder's passing and Lewis's rim protection helped turn extraordinary outside shooting into a complete road win. The Taipans didn't just outshoot Perth; they created enough second and third ways to influence the game when the home side closed the gap.
The NBL's official match report details the scoring, late possessions and player contributions. The official Perth fixture list confirms the result and shows the Wildcats next host Tasmania on Thursday, 12 November. Cairns return home to face ladder-leading Sydney on Friday. That's a tougher test of whether Sunday's balanced attack can travel from one good performance into the next round — but the Taipans have already given their opponents plenty to prepare for.
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