Amazing Brisbane Bullets Win NBL Match Against Adelaide 36ers
With the 92-89 triumph, the injury-plagued Brisbane Bullets put the Adelaide 36ers’ slender hopes of making the NBL finals in peril and preserved their own with a historic victory.
Although the Bullets still have a long way to go before they have any chance of finishing in the top six, their performance in Adelaide shown a lot of passion and spirit.
Brisbane held out Adelaide late in the game, preventing them from getting any closer than two points after taking the first eight points of the fourth quarter to take the game’s sole double-figure advantage.
Kendric Davis resumed his poor shooting performance on the buzzer, but Casey Prather’s outstanding 26 points and seven rebounds helped the Bullets go up to 12-16.
After missing a matching three to put Adelaide at 13-14 and squander an opportunity to secure sixth place, the guard went 7/22 overall and 1/8 from beyond the arc.
Brisbane arrived without Tyrell Harrison, Rocco Zikarsky, Josh Bannan, Emmett Naar, and Deng Adel, but they were determined to win the 36ers’ 14th consecutive sellout of the season at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
Although the Bullets had the lead for much of the first half, Adelaide took a 45–42 lead thanks to a five-point run from Montrezl Harrell and Davis.
Adelaide and Brisbane were 15/38 and 15/37 from the field, respectively, until the Bullets gave the home team a serious scare with the first eight points of the final quarter to take a 13-point lead.
The Sixers responded with the next eleven points, but the Bullets were unstoppable with to Keandre Cook’s 17 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals, which gave Prather plenty of support.
In addition, Tohi Smith-Milner finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and four three-pointers; Isaac White finished with 13 points and four assists; Josh Adams finished with 10 points and five rebounds; and captain Mitch Norton finished with 10 points, five rebounds, and three assists while playing excellent defence against Davis.
Despite his shooting difficulties, Davis finished with 24 points and 10 assists, which might be a crucial loss for Adelaide, who now travel to South East Melbourne and Perth for their last games.
DJ Vasiljevic contributed 20 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists, Harrell contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Isaac Humphries contributed 14 points, 6 rebounds, and three assists.
Getting to the foul line has been crucial to Adelaide’s success at home this season, as they scored their first all-points in that manner to take an early 8–3 lead.
However, the Bullets were a focused and determined team, and after nine early points from Casey Prather, the visitors were ahead 22–21 at the half, despite allowing the 36ers 11 free-throw attempts.
Throughout the second quarter, there were only four points separating the two sides, and it was basket for basket for the most part. Adelaide led 45-42 at the half because to a five-point run from Kendric Davis and Montrezl Harrell.
The Sixers did get off to a strong start in the second half, leading by seven points, but the Bullets were fierce and tied the game halfway through the third period as Isaac White scored five points in a row.
After an Adelaide timeout, Brisbane scored three triples, including two from Smith-Milner, and the Bullets were ahead by seven points. Just before three quartertime, White’s corner three put them ahead by a game-high eight points.
The Bullets began the final quarter with an 8-0 run, led by four points from Josh Adams and Prather, but Brisbane was still ahead 68-63 heading into the fourth.
That put the 36ers in a difficult situation, and DJ Vasiljevic’s response of two three-balls got his team moving again.
However, given all the circumstances, Brisbane held on for what will perhaps be their most memorable victory of the season, and Adelaide could never get closer than two.
The 36ers will now go to Melbourne for another exciting encounter with the South East Melbourne Phoenix, while the Bullets will play their final game on the road against the Cairns Taipans on Thursday.
