Perth Wildcats star Hyrum Harris expects more energy and effort during NBL game against Adelaide 36ers

Perth Wildcats forward Hyrum Harris has declared his team have taken a strong look in the mirror after Sunday’s 32-point loss to Illawarra and realised everyone has to change their approach to games. The Wildcats were blown away by the NBL ladder leaders, losing 120-88. The thumping loss highlighted Perth’s deficiencies when they aren’t producing high scores, with their defensive weaknesses exposed. Perth are conceding a NBL-high 97 points per game this season but that has soared to 110 points across their past five matches. Wildcats captain Jesse Wagstaff admitted that his team wasn’t treating every moment during the week with enough care after the game and said that was one reason why they weren’t playing to their potential. Harris said the players knew they must make changes. “Our effort and our energy is something we can easily control. We can attack looking at that first and foremost and figure it out from there,” he said. “We haven’t done a good job of doing the little things like hustle plays and jumping on loose balls. That’s something we can look at trying to fix. That’s an easy fix. It’s just energy and effort. “It’s the will to want to stop your man one-on-one and not get beaten. Have that pride and not want to get beaten one-on-one. “I think everyone after that game knows they have to be better — individually and as a team. “You’d be silly not to look at yourself after that game and think, ‘I played perfectly’ or ‘I did my best’. I don’t think any one person did their best. . “But it’s basketball. That’s only one game. We can’t hang our heads on it. Championships aren’t won in December so I’m looking forward to our next challenge.” Life won’t get any easier for the Wildcats in their next match against Adelaide in South Australia on Saturday. It will see them confronting former NBA big man Montrezel Harrell for the first time. Harris said he would provide the ultimate test for how they have to play. “He’s the perfect challenge. Energy and effort is something we need to be better at and that’s something he’s really good at,” Harris said. “His energy plays, second chance points, getting rebounds and put-back dunks. We couldn’t have asked for a better challenge than someone like that. We’ll see what happens on Saturday.”