NICKNAME/S: Norto

BIO: Originally from Townsville, Queensland, Mitch Norton attended Pimlico State High School and played within the Townsville junior basketball system. Growing up, he was a devoted fan of the Townsville Crocodiles. His passion for the team was evident from a young age; during the Crocodiles’ 2001/02 season, when the team vowed to keep their beards untrimmed until they reached the Grand Final, a young Norton—about 10 years old and unable to grow a beard—chose to grow out his hair in solidarity. His dedication became so noticeable that his primary school principal eventually reached out to his parents, expressing concern over his “unruly” appearance. His parents clarified that it was simply a way for Norton to show support for his favorite team.

Norton’s first exposure to the NBL came in 2005, when he took part in the NBL Dunk Competition.

Ahead of Mitch Norton’s 350th game, check out his first NBL assist that came way back in the 2005 Dunk Contest ???? pic.twitter.com/6Orxacz9Nm

— NBL (@NBL) November 7, 2024

As a teenager, Norton represented Queensland North in the Under-16 and Under-18 Australian Basketball Championships from 2007 to 2009. Norton received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 2011. He spent one year there and played for the program’s state league team.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Mitchell Norton made his NBL debut with the Townsville Crocodiles at 18 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

After three straight semifinal exits under Coach Trevor Gleeson, the Townsville Crocodiles decided to shift direction by hiring American coach Paul Woolpert. The team parted ways with imports Will Blalock and Rosell Ellis, replacing them with former NBA guard Eddie Gill and Elvin Mims, while retaining most of the local roster from the previous season. Townsville junior Mitchell Norton and Jacob Holmes (via Adelaide) joined to fill the gaps left by Nathan Crosswell’s move to Adelaide and the retirement of Brad Williamson.

Just before the season began, Russell Hinder suffered a broken leg that ruled him out for the entire NBL season. As a replacement, Greg Vanderjagt, who hadn’t made an NBL roster the year prior, was signed to step in.

Peter Crawford (14.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists) and import Eddie Gill (13.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists) led the team, but it was a breakout season from Todd Blanchfield (7.2 points and 3.3 rebounds) that reshaped the Crocs’ lineup. Blanchfield, seeing his minutes double to 21.3 per game, provided floor spacing by shooting 47% from the field, making it easier for the frontcourt duo of Jacob Holmes (10.4 points, 9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists) and Luke Schenscher (10.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists) and Mims (9.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals) to find success in the paint.

Throughout the season, Townsville hovered between third and fifth, but a late slump, with losses in their final two games, saw them finish with a 15-13 record. Thanks to their higher points percentage, the Crocs secured the final playoff spot over Cairns, who shared an identical win-loss record and split the season series.

Under Coach Shawn Dennis, Townsville matched up against first-seed New Zealand in the semifinals, taking a commanding game one win (99-82) on the Breakers’ home court. New Zealand, however, bounced back, evening the series with a win in game two (94-83) at Townsville before clinching the series with a 97-80 victory in game three. New Zealand went on to defeat Perth in the Grand Final.

As a rookie, Norton saw limited minutes, appearing in five games and averaging 2.2 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.2 assists.

2012/13
In the 2012/13 season, Norton played a slightly expanded role, averaging 4.1 points, 1 rebound, and 0.9 assists. Despite his efforts, Townsville finished in seventh place with a 10-18 record.

2013/14
Ahead of the 2013/14 season, Townsville’s ownership model underwent a major shift as Barrier Reef Basketball relinquished control, putting the Crocodiles’ season in jeopardy. However, the team transitioned to a community-owned model, keeping the club afloat. With this change, Coach Paul Woolpert was not retained, and Perth Wildcats assistant Shawn Dennis was appointed as his successor.

Dennis focused on developing the team’s younger players, particularly Todd Blanchfield and Mitchell Norton, aiming to build a core around them over the coming seasons. The team’s veterans, including Peter Crawford, Jacob Holmes, and captain Russell Hinder, returned, while former Australian Boomers squad member Steven Markovic, who had spent the previous few seasons in Europe, joined the roster. Rounding out the lineup were imports Joshua Pace and Brian Conklin.

The Crocs found an unexpected talent in Conklin, who scored 33 points in his second game—a victory over the New Zealand Breakers (91–78)—marking the second-highest individual score by a Townsville player since the NBL’s shift to 40-minute games in 2010. Despite being widely expected to finish last, Townsville pulled off upset wins over top teams, including Melbourne (90-75) and Adelaide (98-94), and defeated New Zealand twice. By Round 10, they were just outside playoff contention in fifth place.

However, with Pace (14.9 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists) and Markovic (13.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 4.6 assists) not meeting expectations, the team’s inexperience began to show, resulting in an eight-game losing streak.

Despite the setbacks, Conklin (16.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists) proved a revelation, using his strength and agility to overcome any height disadvantage, ending the season as one of the league’s top seven scorers. His absence due to a hamstring injury in the final four games was keenly felt. Townsville finished second-last with a 10-18 record, but Conklin’s standout performances earned him a spot on the All-NBL Second Team.

Norton played in 27 games, averaging 6.9 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game.

2014/15
Townsville retained star import Brian Conklin for the 2014/15 season, banking on his contributions alongside the development of young players like Todd Blanchfield and Mitchell Norton to improve the team under Coach Shawn Dennis’s leadership. The Crocodiles made several roster changes, parting ways with veteran Peter Crawford (to Adelaide) and the retiring Russell Hinder, while replacing underperforming import Joshua Pace with former NBA shot blocker Mickell Gladness.

Dennis also added Mackay product Clint Steindl and New Zealand-born Leon Henry to bolster the lineup. The team became a formidable force at home, securing a winning home record (8-6) for the first time since 2012, but struggled on the road, finishing with only three away victories and an overall record of 11-17.

Notable highlights included Blanchfield (14.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists) making his mark across the league, even catching the eye of NBA scouts after being named the NBL’s Most Improved Player and earning an All-NBL Second Team selection. Conklin (18.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) delivered an even stronger second season, finishing fourth in the league in scoring with a 50.7% field goal percentage. His standout performances included a 33-point, 11-rebound game in a 79–75 loss to Cairns. At season’s end, Conklin was named the NBL’s Most Valuable Player and selected for the All-NBL First Team.

Norton appeared in 28 games, averaging 7.9 points, 2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists.

2015/16
Facing front office changes and financial challenges, Townsville struggled to maintain stability, complicating their recruitment process. Todd Blanchfield, the reigning NBL Most Improved Player, left to join Melbourne United. In response, Coach Dennis signed Nicholas Kay, who had just completed four years at Metro State College of Denver, and filled the roster with players willing to play for near-league-minimum contracts. This group included players like Luke Schenscher (via Adelaide), Corey Maynard, and Mitchell Young (both from Cairns).

Conklin, re-signed as captain, was paired with incoming import Jordair Jett, but Townsville’s season started poorly with losses to Melbourne (84-99) at home and New Zealand (81-89) away. Surprisingly, they then managed back-to-back away wins over Sydney (80-77) and Perth (66-63), but the season quickly soured after that. A 31-point defeat to Melbourne in late October left Townsville with the league’s worst record (2-9) after the opening months.

Tensions escalated when Conklin became involved in a controversial on-court incident with Perth’s Damian Martin, resulting in a broken jaw for Martin. Although some, including Australian basketball legend Andrew Gaze, called for a suspension, the NBL cleared Conklin of wrongdoing. Weeks later, Conklin was again in the spotlight after an elbow incident involving Adelaide’s Mitch Creek, leading to a three-game suspension, with two games suspended.

By November’s end, Townsville terminated Conklin’s contract due to what they cited as “sub-par performances.” Conklin, averaging 13.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists, later suggested that financial reasons led to his release. A week after his departure, Townsville signed Omar Samhan (13 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.1 blocks) as his replacement.

Schenscher (4.1 points and 3.1 rebounds) struggled with injuries, prompting Townsville to add junior player Harry Froling (1.6 points and 0.8 rebounds) as an injury replacement. Jett (15.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.1 steals) led the team in scoring during the season’s latter half, with Mirko Djeric (5.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists) also showing improvement. Townsville’s teamwork showed as they managed a balanced finish, winning seven of their last 14 games, including an unforgettable upset over Adelaide.

Despite another strong home record (8-6) and improved performance toward the end, Townsville concluded the season second-last (11-17). Jett earned the Kevin Sugars Medal (club MVP), while Norton played in all 28 games, averaging 8.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.

Townsville’s achievements did not go unnoticed. Coach Dennis won the NBL Coach of the Year award, while Nicholas Kay (10.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists) was named Rookie of the Year, and Clint Steindl (12.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists) earned Most Improved Player honors. Despite a commitment from the league to support the team, the lack of sufficient community funding led to Townsville’s exit from the NBL. Kay and Norton signed with Illawarra, Young joined Brisbane, while Steindl and Djeric found opportunities overseas. Schenscher retired, and Coach Dennis moved on to coach in Japan’s national league.

ILLAWARRA HAWKS
2016/17
The Hawks faced a challenging offseason in 2017, losing star guard Kevin Lisch to NSW rival Sydney after the Kings made a lucrative offer that Illawarra couldn’t match. Additionally, veteran Kirk Penney departed to rejoin the New Zealand Breakers.

With the Townsville Crocodiles disbanding after the 2015/16 season, both Mitchell Norton and teammate Nick Kay became free agents and quickly attracted interest from multiple NBL clubs. Although both players received financially superior offers, the chance to play under head coach Rob Beveridge was persuasive, leading them to sign two-year deals with the Hawks.

Beveridge brought in returning Hawk and former NBL MVP Rotnei Clarke to replace Lisch, paired him with Marvelle Harris as the team’s second import, and managed to retain core players Oscar Forman, Tim Coenraad, Rhys Martin, and Kevin White.

With the new lineup, Illawarra struggled initially and found themselves at the bottom of the ladder after the first four rounds. However, a strong end-of-season push led by Clarke, who averaged 17 points per game, allowed the Hawks to edge into the top four by a single game. Norton concluded the regular season with averages of 8.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists.

In the semifinals, the Hawks faced the top-seeded Adelaide 36ers, who dominated game one with a 93-78 win, thanks to Jerome Randle’s 26 points and 4 assists. However, Illawarra pulled off a major upset, winning games two (100–94) and three (106-98) to eliminate the 36ers. Clarke led the team with 20 points in the decisive game.

The Hawks advanced to the Grand Final to face Beveridge’s former team, the Perth Wildcats, who ultimately swept the Hawks in three straight games to secure their eighth NBL Championship. Illawarra’s top scorer, Rotnei Clarke, was stymied by Perth’s Defensive Player of the Year, Damian Martin, who limited him to just eight shot attempts in game one. Conversely, Perth’s Bryce Cotton was unstoppable, recording a historic 45-point performance in game three and earning the NBL Finals MVP award.

2017/18
Norton averaged 7.8 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists as the Hawks narrowly missed the playoffs, finishing fifth with a 12-16 record.

PERTH WILDCATS
2018/19
In the off-season, Perth re-signed star Bryce Cotton to a three-year contract, alongside key signings Nick Kay and Mitch Norton (both from Illawarra), two-time champion Tom Jervis (via Brisbane), and new import Terrico White (from Korea). These changes led to the departure of Lucas Walker, Jarrod Kenny, and Dexter Kernich-Drew, all of whom signed with Cairns. Rounding out the roster, four-year development player Rhys Vague was promoted to the full-time roster.

The Wildcats traveled to the U.S. for two pre-season games against NBA teams, facing the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets. After a heavy (130–72) loss to the Jazz, Coach Trevor Gleeson cited this game as a catalyst for the season’s success. In their second game, they narrowly lost (96–88) to the Nuggets, gaining valuable experience that set the tone for their NBL campaign.

Perth opened the season with a strong (10–1) record. However, injuries struck, with captain Damian Martin (5.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.6 steals) tearing his right calf and missing six games, and Angus Brandt (8.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists) sitting out three games in November after an ankle injury during a Boomers match. These setbacks led to a mid-season slump, with Perth dropping eight of their next ten games, resulting in a (12–9) record by mid-January.

Despite calls to make roster changes or add a third import, the team and coaching staff stood by the current lineup. Once the roster was back to full health, Perth rebounded, securing three wins over Melbourne, Adelaide, and Sydney. They finished the regular season in first place with an (18–10) record.

Perth’s success was largely driven by Bryce Cotton (21.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals), who won both the league MVP and the scoring title, and Nick Kay (14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.2 steals), who had a career-best season. Both Cotton and Kay earned All-NBL First Team honors. Terrico White (17.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.1 steals) overcame early-season injuries to become a critical contributor.

Mitch Norton (8.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists) provided a strong defensive presence, consistent ball-handling, and leadership, with his role influenced by the opportunity to play alongside defensive stalwart Damian Martin. Norton’s standout games included 16 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals against Sydney on 19 October 2018, 14 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal against Illawarra on 15 December, and 13 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals against Brisbane on 23 December.

Norton returned from a calf injury just in time for the playoffs, bringing critical depth and contributing in every game of the Grand Final series.

In the semi-finals against Brisbane, Cotton (19 points, 2 rebounds, and 10 assists) and White (24 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist) led Perth to an opening Game 1 win (89–59), with Norton (8 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal) contributing valuable defense off the bench. Brisbane’s Cameron Gliddon topped their scoring with 18 points and 4 rebounds. In Game 2 (84–79), White again led with 24 points, Cotton added 19 points and 10 assists, and Norton chipped in 7 points, 3 assists, and 3 rebounds. Despite strong efforts from Brisbane’s Lamar Patterson (19 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals) and Matthew Hodgson (15 points, 2 blocks), Perth advanced to the Grand Final to face Melbourne.

In the Grand Final series opener, Perth defeated defending champions Melbourne (81-71). Although Cotton was held to 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists due to tight defense, White (19 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Norton (10 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds) stepped up to secure the win. Casper Ware (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Chris Goulding (15 points) led Melbourne’s offense.

Melbourne bounced back in Game 2 (92-74) with a well-rounded performance from Ware (14 points), Goulding (14 points), DJ Kennedy (12 points, 14 rebounds), and David Barlow (11 points), evening the series. Despite Norton’s efforts (9 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals) and solid contributions from Cotton (19 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) and White (17 points), Perth couldn’t keep up.

Coach Gleeson’s adjustments in Game 3 paid off as Perth dominated (95-67). White (31 points, 7 rebounds) and Cotton (27 points, 10 assists) combined for 58 points, nearly outscoring Melbourne alone, while Norton (8 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds) provided crucial playmaking and defense. Melbourne’s DJ Kennedy (13 points and 10 rebounds) and David Barlow (13 points) were among their few bright spots.

In the decisive Game 4 (97-84), Perth clinched the championship with standout performances from Cotton (28 points, 4 assists, and 4 steals) and White (20 points, 8 rebounds). Norton (11 points, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds) contributed with defensive plays and ball distribution to help secure the win. Despite Melbourne’s efforts from Ware (18 points) and Goulding (15 points), Perth proved too strong.

Terrico White, who overcame early-season criticism, was named Grand Final MVP, averaging 21.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists over the four-game series.

PERTH WILDCATS
2019/20
The Wildcats’ first off-season priority was re-signing head coach Trevor Gleeson to a three-year deal and bringing back five-time champions Damian Martin and Jesse Wagstaff, along with import Terrico White. Perth retained six members of their championship squad and promoted Wani Swaka Lo Buluk from development player to a full roster position, filling the gap left by Greg Hire’s retirement. The Wildcats also brought in Dario Hunt and Majok Majok to replace departing big men Tom Jervis and Angus Brandt, who moved to Europe.

Perth began the season in dominant form with a (5–1) record but stumbled mid-season, sitting at (8-5) after back-to-back losses. However, the team recovered with a four-game winning streak to close December at (13–6). In December, Martin played his 300th game for the Wildcats but suffered a left heel injury, sidelining him for all of January. The Wildcats’ form dipped, and after consecutive losses at the start of 2020, the team decided to part ways with Hunt (8.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists), replacing him with NBA veteran Miles Plumlee (9.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks).

Plumlee made an immediate impact, recording 23 points and 18 rebounds in a close win over New Zealand (80–79), becoming the first Wildcat to post a 20+ point, 15+ rebound game since 2007. With seven games remaining, Perth, needing Plumlee to play every game to qualify for playoffs, won six of their final seven matches, securing a 34th straight finals appearance and finishing in second place (19–9). Fresh off his World Cup appearance, Nick Kay (15 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.1 steals) had a breakout season, while Bryce Cotton (22.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists) made history, becoming the first import to lead the league in scoring for three consecutive seasons.

In the semifinals, Perth faced Cairns, winning the series (2–1) to advance to their 15th NBL Grand Final. Cotton (32 points) and Kay (14 points, 6 rebounds) led Perth to a narrow victory in Game 1 (88–86) before 11,647 enthusiastic Kings fans. As both teams prepared for Game 2 in Perth, it was decided all remaining games would proceed without fans due to COVID-19. Sydney tied the series (1-1) with Jae’Sean Tate (21 points) shooting 7-of-9 and Andrew Bogut (24 points, 14 rebounds) having one of his season’s best games.

In Game 3, Kay (30 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists) delivered a career-high performance with seven three-pointers, joining Cotton (31 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists) to propel Perth to victory (111–96). Before Game 4, the Kings withdrew from the series due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. With several Kings players based overseas, they feared being unable to return home. After a week of deliberations, Perth was awarded the championship, holding a 2-1 series lead and securing their 10th title. Cotton, who averaged 30.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists over the three games, was named Grand Final MVP for the second time in four years, becoming the first Wildcat to achieve league MVP, Grand Final MVP, and a championship win in a single season.

Norton played an expanded role for the Wildcats, especially in the playoffs, as it was revealed that starting point guard Martin played through an Achilles injury, necessitating post-season surgery. Norton appeared in 28 games, averaging 6.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists.

2020/21
After claiming the championship when Sydney withdrew from the Grand Final series due to COVID-19, Perth faced a challenging start to the 2020/21 season amid league-wide COVID-related disruptions. Losing Terrico White and Nick Kay to overseas contracts, Perth signed John Mooney to fill a key frontcourt role, but they were unable to re-sign import Miles Plumlee after the NBL reduced import spots from three to two. The season eventually began with a flexible, week-to-week schedule to accommodate travel restrictions.

By Round 5, Perth was struggling with a (3-5) record and sat in seventh place. The league then relocated all teams to Melbourne to play eight games as part of the NBL Cup, aiming to sidestep further travel issues. Cotton (23.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.5 steals) took his game up a notch, and Todd Blanchfield (via Illawarra) capitalized on Cotton’s playmaking, delivering his best season yet. Blanchfield (15.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists) set a franchise record for most three-pointers in a season, and Mooney (16.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.3 steals) formed a formidable trio with Cotton and Blanchfield.

Perth’s season took a major hit when Cotton sustained a season-ending injury in a late-season game against Melbourne (64–78). Despite Cotton’s MVP-caliber season, Perth entered the playoffs without him, placing second (25-11) behind first-place Melbourne United (28-8). In the semi-final series against Illawarra, Luke Travers (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Mooney (18 points, 10 rebounds) helped Perth secure a Game 2 win (79-71). In Game 3, Blanchfield (24 points, 5 rebounds) and Norton (15 points, 4 rebounds) stepped up in Cotton’s absence, helping the Wildcats reach the Grand Final against Melbourne.

Facing top-seeded Melbourne, both Games 1 and 2 were played in Perth due to restrictions. Despite a strong showing from Blanchfield (27 points, 7 rebounds) in Game 1, Melbourne edged out Perth (73-70). Game 2 saw Melbourne’s Chris Goulding (21 points) and Jock Landale (12 points, 17 rebounds) prove too much for Perth, with the Wildcats falling again (74-83).

Norton, battling through injuries, continued to provide crucial contributions with averages of 8.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. With restrictions lifted, Game 3 moved to Melbourne’s home court, where United sealed their title win (81-76) behind a stellar performance from Finals MVP Jock Landale (15 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 assists, and 2 blocks).

2021/22
This season, Perth would see Trevor Gleeson, who coached the team to five championships in seven seasons, leave to coach in the NBA with the Toronto Raptors. The Wildcats would then suffer another blow, losing mid-season signing Will Magnay and half of Perth’s bench rotation (Clint Steindl, Jarrad Weeks, and Jarred Bairstow), all signing multi-year deals to play for Tasmania under former Wildcats assistant Scott Roth.

Perth then looked to rebuild its squad, bringing in US coach Scott Morrison to replace Gleeson, adding imports Vic Law (via Brisbane) Michael Frazier III and signing Matthew Hodgson (via Brisbane) with their last free roster spot.

With the Wildcats missing key players Mitchell Norton, Matthew Hodgson, Todd Blanchfield and Michael Frazier during the season, Norton would see increased opportunities and increase his production for the third year in a row, putting up 9.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game in the Wildcat’s new system.

Perth played its first five games at home before playing 14 games away due to the border closures resulting from COVID-19. Despite the obstacle of being away from family and friends, the Wildcats spent the majority of the year in the top four and were a consensus favourite to make the Grand Final.

The dynamic duo of Cotton (22.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.4 steals) and Law (20.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks) was nearly unstoppable in the early stages of the season, with both players among the top three scorers in the league and Perth leading the league in total points scored (89.1 points per game).

Perth, who were second on the ladder (13-6), returned to Western Australia to play their last nine games, all at home. During that time, the team decided to replace Frazier with big man John Brown III, who flew into the country and began training only to receive the news that his former team would not provide a clearance in time for him to make the playoffs. Perth was then faced with the uncomfortable situation of asking Frazier, who had been training alongside Brown, to return to the lineup while Brown III headed back to the USA.

Earlier today, @PerthWildcats head coach Scott Morrison addressed the awkward nature of how things have played out with Michael Frazier II and John Brown III.#NBL22 pic.twitter.com/scxWbnKfDQ

— NBL (@NBL) April 6, 2022

A season ending knee injury saw Law shut down with only a few games to go, while Cotton also missing several games during the run home. This resulted in Perth winning only three of their nine home games and heading into their last game needing to defeat South East Melbourne to reach the playoffs. Perth entered the game sitting in fourth place, with their playoff chances on the line, but when the team built a eight-point lead in the second half, it seemed a lock that the Wildcats would return to the playoffs for the 37th season in a row. The Phoenix, however, fought back and ended the Wildcats’ extraordinary run of finals campaigns with a thrilling two-point overtime win, ending the team’s run of consecutive playoff appearances, a streak which had begun in 1986.

2022/23
After missing the playoffs for the first time in 35 years under Canadian coach, Scott Morrison announced he was leaving after just one season so he could return home for family reasons. In his place, the Wildcat’s appointed former Townsville Crocodiles star John Rillie as the club’s new head coach on a three-year deal.

Perth retained the majority of its roster, with only Kevin White (to Illawarra) and Matt Hodgson (to Taiwan) not returning. Perth re-signed Bryce Cotton (3 Year Deal), Todd Blanchfield (3 Year Deal) and Jesse Wagstaff (1 Year Deal) and elevated backup guard Kyle Zunic from development player to the full roster. Corey Webster, who the Wildcats had signed to a deal in 2017 only to see him leave before the season started, signed as a free agent. To round out the roster, imports TaShawn Thomas (France) and Brady Manek (North Carolina) were added for some additional scoring punch.

Rillie’s squad began the season nicely, notching up three wins in a row and looking like the Wildcats of old as they sat on top of the NBL ladder. This was then met with a five game losing streak and drop to seventh place, where they hung around until the final month of the season.

Norton was able to notch up his 300th game against Adelaide, which coincidentally was 36ers big man Daniel Johnson’s 400th game also. The entertaining battle saw many swings and lead changes, but it was the clutch shot making by Wildcats star Cotton in the fourth quarter that sealed the victory. Cotton led all players with 32 points as Perth defeated the Adelaide 36ers, 98-90.

The Wildcats did not rely solely on Cotton though, with TaShawn Thomas putting up a season high 22 points, Corey Webster recording 22 points and Norton adding 7 points and 2 rebounds in 19 minutes of court time.

With six games remaining in the regular season, Perth added Tai Webster to their roster after he was released from his team in Turkey, reuniting him with his brother Corey. Following the signing of Webster, Corey Shervill was released from the Wildcat’s 11-man roster.

The team’s final three games saw them lose to Tasmania (102–94) after allowing the JackJumpers to outscore them 27-15 across the final 10 minutes. A crucial loss to Cairns Taipans (84-71) set up a nail-biting last round where another Perth loss would see United finish sixth and the Wildcat’s eliminated from Finals or a Perth win allowing them to advance to the postseason.

While the Kings were able to lock down Cotton (7 points), Perth got big games out of Corey Webster (26 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists), Luke Travers (22 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists) and Brady Manek (21 points, 9 rebounds and 2 steals) to deliver a upset victory (96-84) against the league leading Kings.

The win saw Perth (15-13) claim sixth place on the ladder and advance into the league’s inaugural play-in tournament. There, they would face South East Melbourne in a game where they trailed the entire game until the fourth quarter. During the final term, the Wildcat’s outscored the Phoenix (41-23) and moved on the second round of the play-in tournament, on the back of a seven-point win (106-99). Perth then met Cairns in a game where the winner would advance to the semi finals as the fourth seed.

Although Cairns entered the game without their leading scorer and rebounder Keanu Pinder, a history making effort from DJ Hogg (32 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists) delivered the end to the Wildcats’ season. Hogg would record the most points ever by a Taipan in the playoffs, defeating the Wildcats (78-91) in the process.

Norton played in 30 games for the Wildcats and averaged 5.1 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.

BRISBANE BULLETS
2023/24
Brisbane signed point guard Mitch Norton on a two-year deal after Perth had decided they wanted to move in a different, younger direction after missing the playoffs for their second year in a row. Despite having a season remaining on his contract with Perth, a agreement was made between the two clubs where a buy out of Norton’s contract, was agreed to.

At the time of signing, Brisbane Coach Justin Schueller was excited to welcome a player and person of Norton’s calibre to the Bullets roster.

“From the moment we started our roster build we kept saying we needed a Mitch Norton type in that spot, so when he became available, we jumped at the opportunity,” Schueller said.

“He fits who we want to be perfectly. He’s hardworking, a elite defender and a great culture fit.”

Mitchell Norton currently plays for the Brisbane Bullets and has played 338 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 7.2 points, 2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists since entering the league in 2011.

CURRENT CONTRACT:

Brisbane Bullets – 3 Year Deal (2024-27)

Dan Boyce (815 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.