NBL27 Preview - CODE Sports Blitz v Perth Wildcats

Melbourne United are set to kick off their time at the CODE Sports NBL Blitz in Bendigo with a matchup against the Perth Wildcats on Friday evening.

While stars like Cole Anthony and Joe Ingles will be missing from the lineup, the game provides another great opportunity to see how the team is shaping up with the Round 1 of the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 season only a few weeks away.

Perth will be coming into the game looking to bounce back from a down-to-the-wire loss against the Cairns Taipans, who United bested last Saturday by 16 points.

WHAT’S THE WORD?

Set to lead his new-look group for the first official time, Head Coach Jacob Chance outlined what he wants to see from Melbourne’s versatile collection of talent.

“Our mindset has been how quickly we can all get on the same page...
I'm really happy with the flow of our daily process and how guys are integrating into how we want to play. 

“I don't think that changes at the Blitz… Now we get an opportunity to go and see where we stack up against other teams and see how we deal with being up in a quarter or being down in a quarter.”

Following the loss in their first game of the Blitz, Perth Assistant Coach Derrick Alston Sr. touched on what the benefits of playing competitive games in the preseason and some of the team’s focuses for Friday night.

“We get a lot of information from games like this and we’ll continue to grow with the game tomorrow (against United).

“(The focus is) just to improve on the things we didn’t do well in the first game of course, some of our defensive coverages, and this offensively, just keep sharing the ball.”

WHO’S HOT, WHO'S NOT

One thing that has been clear across much of the preseason for United is the importance of crashing the glass.

Luke Travers has tallied a double-double with rebounds in both his games, while Josh Oduro has collected nine offensive boards in his limited time on the court.

Last season, Melbourne had an 18-5 record when winning the rebounding battle.

On the other side, Perth will be eager to continue showcasing their young guard duo of Elijah Pepper and Anthony Dell’Orso, who combined for 32 points in the loss to the Taipans.

DETAILS

Who: Melbourne United vs Perth Wildcats

Tip-off: 8pm AEST, Friday 4 September, 2026

Where: Bendigo Stadium, Bendigo

Watch: ESPN via Kayo or Disney+