Perth Wildcats will be without star centre Jo Lual-Acuil and new import Brandon Knight for Friday night’s home game against South East Melbourne as they attempt to avenge their loss to the Phoenix in round one.
But guard Jaron Rillie has been cleared to play his first game since January after recovering from hamstring surgery and will be eased back into action.
Lual-Acuil injured his calf during the second quarter against New Zealand on Saturday and hasn’t been able to recover in time to play.
Wildcats coach John Rillie said the club doesn’t have a timeline on his return which means Angus Brandt will shoulder a bigger load and other players will have to seize their chances.
“Jo is meticulous with how he looks after himself, so he’s always going to give himself the best chance to be back ASAP. We just kind of got to see how that plays out over time,’ he said.
“The New Zealand game showed between (Brandt), Wagstaff, the young guys, Cam Huefner and Alex Higgins, they’re going to get opportunities. So that’s where you go in the short term. This is great for our team to evolve at those positions and create some depth for later on in the year. But certainly, a lot of guys are going to get opportunity right now with Jo out.”
Knight only arrived in Australia on Wednesday and didn’t participate in Thursday’s training session. The club will do a thorough assessment of his body before easing him into sessions with the view to him against New Zealand on October 10.
The American has been watching the Wildcats’ games from the US and will now get the chance to see them playing live as he gains a greater understanding of his teammates.
Rillie is confident he will quickly adjust to the NBL once he gets onto the court.
“We will let him get a good week of practice under him, and we’ll move forward from there,” Rillie said.
“What I have confidence in is the group that we have are very confident in what we’re trying to do. So managing and helping him through that, I think will give him a level of ease where he doesn’t have to feel like he has to come in and solve the world’s problems.
“He can just naturally take it at his own pace. And what I’m looking forward to is really seeing his strengths live and how he can really help the team. But then it is how do you combine that with all the other guys as well?”
Friday night’s game at RAC Arena will be the Wildcats’ annual Pink game as they raise money and awareness for Breast Cancer Care WA.
