Bullets have no fear of Perth: Hodgson

BRISBANE big man Matt Hodgson says beating Perth in an NBL semi-final series is not “mission impossible”.

And the Bullets centre knows what he is talking about after being part of the Adelaide side that swept the Wildcats out of last season’s semi-finals.

Brisbane and Perth will meet at Perth’s RAC Arena in the opening match of the bestof-three series next Thursday, before game two at Boondall on Saturday, March 2.

If a third game is required, the teams will travel crosscountry again for the decider in Perth on Monday, March 4.

The teams split the fourgame regular season series, with the home team winning on every occasion.

The Wildcats needed a buzzer beater from star import Bryce Cotton to claim one of those victories in Perth.

Hodgson said Brisbane will head west with no fear.

“We feel good about going to Perth. We played them at the start of the season when they were playing really well and were something like 10-1, 10-2. One of those losses was to us,’’ he said.

“We feel confident about our chances with them. We know it’s going to be a hard and tough series but we don’t go in feeling scared about it by any stretch of the imagination.

“Bryce Cotton is a mismatch for any team but we feel like we have a lot of talent and a lot of depth and we match up well overall with Perth.’’

Hodgson said the key to beating Perth in Perth was having a significant lead going into the last quarter as the RAC Arena crowd gave the Wildcats great energy in the final term.

In lieu of a big buffer in the run home, the ability to keep scrapping and keep fighting on every possession was paramount.

The travel schedule for the Bullets-wildcats series is especially brutal compared with the one facing Sydney and Melbourne in the other semifinal.

Both series start on February 28 but Brisbane and Perth have to back-up a day earlier than the Kings and United, despite a five-hour flight for both teams compared with the onehour hop for Sydney and Melbourne.

The NBL says venue availability, broadcast requirements and maximising attendances were behind the schedule.

Hodgson said cramming potentially three games and a number of cross-country flights into less than a week was “not ideal” but Brisbane would embrace the challenge.

“I understand why they are doing it. In last year’s grand final, it was best-of-five and it stretched over two to three weeks,’’ he said.