Wildcats coach fined for big shoves

PERTH Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson has been fined $ 500 by the NBL for pushing Sydney Kings centre Andrew Bogut in a heated exchange on Thursday night.

Gleeson pushed Bogut away twice as the former NBA star tried to eavesdrop on an impromptu Wildcats huddle in the dying stages of the Kings’ 77- 72 win in Sydney.

Bogut grabbed Gleeson’s wrist during the incident, but was cleared by the NBL of any wrongdoing.

Because it wasn’t an official timeout, Bogut was allowed to stand near the Wildcats huddle. The NBL deemed Gleeson breached the code of conduct.

After the match, Gleeson cheerfully admitted trying to milk the incident.

“I tried to run a play and the big boofhead got in there and tried to listen,” Gleeson explained.

‘ So I said ‘ get out for a little bit’ and then he grabbed me, so I was trying to milk it and see if I could get something out of it. “Boges is a good guy.” Bogut dismissed the suggestion Gleeson should be suspended for pushing him away.

“No he shouldn’t. There was nothing in it. Let’s all take a deep breath and move on,” Bogut tweeted.

Even though the Kings ended the ladder- leading Wildcats’ seven- match winning streak, Gleeson still took some positives out of the game.

Guard Damian Martin, playing his first game since October 27 because of a calf injury, showed his trademark determination.