Perth Wildcats coach John Rillie has no doubt his side are moving in the right direction, despite their season ending in the semifinals for the third consecutive year.

After securing their participation in the finals by beating Melbourne United in the play-in game, the Wildcats ultimately proved no match for Sydney Kings in their first-versus-fourth series, with the minor premiers securing a clean sweep by running out 14-point winners in the second game at RAC Arena on Saturday night.

Ben Henshall poured in a season-high 20 points but Kristian Doolittle (15) and Jo Lual-Acuil (nine) being below their best left Perth without the firepower to match the minor premiers, who came away 89-75 victors.

Another semifinal exit has come on the back of being knocked out at the same stage by United last season and the eventual-champion Tasmania JackJumpers in 2024, but Rillie said he had seen significant growth in his group over recent seasons.

“There’s a level of disappointment because you start the season wanting to win the championship, but there’s 10 teams that do that,” Rillie said.

“For the last three years, we’ve given ourselves a chance. We haven’t climbed that mountain, but I think there’s a lot to be taken out of that.

“I talk to my players about this all the time — you get antsy, you get worried, so many people quit when they’re right there. We’re not going to quit. We’re going to keep working and good things will happen.

“So many people get so close to something and think they need to reinvent the wheel, versus sticking with what you do and just keep growing.”

Sydney will now have the chance to play for their third championship since they lost to Wildcats in the COVID-abridged 2020 grand final series, which marked the last time Perth progressed past the final four.

Kings captain Xavier Cooks reserved praise for Rillie in his post-match comments.

“I think he’s had a lot of criticism this year and he’s a really good coach,” Cooks said.

“Perth is a really talented team, they’ve had a hell of a year.”

Rillie said he was confident his players had more improvement left in them — particularly their younger contingent of Henshall, Elijah Pepper, David Okwera and Dontae Russo-Nance — but he would not allow them to rest on their laurels.

“You can’t be satisfied,” he said.

“To take the next leap and taste the ultimate success as frequently as we all want, you have to be dedicated to the cause.”

After falling in an early nine-point hole, the Wildcats traded the lead with the Kings for much of the rest of the game, but the visitors ran away late by peeling off a 29-16 final term.

Doolittle and Lual-Acuil both struggled to impose themselves on the contest, combining to make only seven of their 26 field goal attempts.