BIO: Paul Pochontesta was born in Australia and began playing basketball as a junior with the Perth basketball program.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Paul Pochontesta made his NBL debut with the Perth Wildcats on 27/11/1999. He scored three points in his first game.

Pochontesta joined a Wildcats side attempting to return to championship contention following a disappointing sixth-place finish (13-13) the previous year. Coach Alan Black had an experienced lineup featuring Ricky Grace, Andrew Vlahov, Scott Fisher, Anthony Stewart and Paul Rogers, with younger players James Harvey and Stephen Black also competing for opportunities. Pochontesta’s involvement would be limited to three appearances during the first half of the season, but his brief stint came as Perth began establishing itself among the league’s leading teams.

Pochontesta made his debut against Brisbane at the Perth Entertainment Centre on November 27, contributing 3 points in just over four minutes off the bench. He connected on one of his three field-goal attempts, making a three-pointer to register his first NBL points. Rogers (23 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks) led Perth, while Vlahov added 17 points and 10 rebounds. Kelvin Price (19 points and 10 rebounds) was Brisbane’s leading performer, but the Wildcats claimed a commanding 109-82 victory.

Pochontesta (3.7 points across 3 games) played approximately 13 minutes in total during his only NBL season, scoring 11 points and collecting 1 rebound. He made four of his eight field-goal attempts, including three three-pointers from seven attempts, and recorded a career-high eight-point performance during his brief time in the Wildcats’ rotation. His limited opportunities reflected Perth’s established depth, with Black continuing to rely on the club’s experienced players as the season progressed.

Pochontesta made his third and final NBL appearance against Sydney at the Sydney SuperDome on December 18, when Perth recorded a convincing 115-84 victory. Rogers (23 points and 12 rebounds) led the Wildcats’ frontcourt, while Vlahov contributed 19 points and 9 rebounds. With no further appearances during the campaign, Pochontesta’s NBL career concluded after three games, although he remained part of the Wildcats’ championship-winning roster.

Rogers (18.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks across 36 games) became the first player in Perth history to win the NBL Most Valuable Player award, while Grace (14.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 7.6 assists across 35 games) continued to direct the offence. The Wildcats further strengthened their rotation in January by signing former Melbourne Tigers import Marcus Timmons (12.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals across 16 games), who had previously won an NBL championship in 1997. Perth finished the regular season with eight consecutive victories, securing third place with a 22-6 record.

Pochontesta did not feature in the postseason, beginning with Perth’s 91-80 quarterfinal defeat against West Sydney on March 15. The Wildcats responded with a 99-88 victory on March 17 to level the series. Perth won the deciding third game 82-74 on March 19, completing a 2-1 series comeback.

The Wildcats opened their semi-final series against Townsville with a 104-101 victory on March 24. The Crocodiles won game two 101-78 on March 31, forcing another deciding contest. Perth prevailed 104-84 on April 2, advancing to the Grand Final with a second consecutive 2-1 series victory.

Perth faced Victoria in the championship series, winning the opening game 84-78 at Melbourne Park on April 7. The Wildcats then returned home and defeated the Titans 83-76 on April 12 to complete a 2-0 Grand Final sweep. Timmons was named Grand Final MVP as Pochontesta became an NBL championship-winning player despite appearing in just three games during his only season in the competition, with Perth securing its fourth title at the Perth Entertainment Centre.

Paul Pochontesta played one season in the NBL. He averaged 3.7 points, 0.3 rebounds, and 0 assists in 3 NBL games.