Gold Coast avoided posting their lowest ever score - but only just - as Perth took game one of the best-of-three Australian National Basketball League semi-final series 81-68 in Perth.
The Wildcats will enter game two, to be held on the Gold Coast next Tuesday, full of confidence after the Blaze struggled to cope with Perth's smothering defence without injured star import Ayinde Ubaka.
Wollongong and Townsville meet in the other semi-final tonight.
