Curtain falls on the Bullets season

The Perth Wildcats have ended the Brisbane Bullets season with a 96-91 victory, in the first elimination final match of the 2005/06 season, at the Brisbane Convention Centre tonight.

Perth went into the match a clear favourite, despite Brisbane having previously won nine of their last 10 home matches. The Wildcats swept the three-match regular season series and had not lost to the Bullets since December 2004.

Brisbane entered the game with injury concerns to stars Derek Rucker and Stephen Black. Perth capitalised despite a slow start to beat the home side when it counted most - in the second half.

Matt Shanahan top scored for Perth with 22 points, while David Bailey led the team with nine assists, though only knocked down 17 points. Captain Tony Ronaldson managed 20 points and pulled down eight rebounds.

Brisbane were well served by Mark Bradtke, 22 points and 11 rebounds, while Sam Mackinnon finished with 19 points and collected 10 rebounds before fouling out in the final minute. Derek Rucker managed to see 24 minutes of action, and inspired his team-mates with his courageous appearance only a week after surgery to repair a fractured cheekbone.

First quarter honours were with the Bullets, Bradtke and Bobby Brannen fired the home side to their biggest lead of the game, 20-12, mid-way through the term. Perth fought back and tied the scores, 23-23, at quarter time through Shanahan and Matt Burston.

Perth took the lead, for the first time in the game, 10 seconds into the second quarter with another trip to the free-throw line. Brisbane conceded the first five fouls of the game and many assumed the hostilities of the December match in Perth had resumed. However, the visitors preferred to play the ball instead of resorting to the lowbrow tactics that were surely planned to put them off their game.

The teams traded baskets for most of the second quarter. Michael Hill put Brisbane ahead by five, 43-38. With time running out on the second term, Paul Rogers collected the offensive rebound and his shot put Perth ahead 50-47 at half time.

Brisbane regained the lead, in the third quarter, after Brannen netted six of his eight points for the term while Rucker warmed the bench. Perth again fought back and took a seven-point lead, 75-68, into the final break with Bailey and Crawford both notching doubles.

The Bullets narrowly outscored Perth in the final quarter, Bradtke and Mackinnon knocked through seven points respectively. It was last Sunday's hero, David Bailey, who delivered the knockout blow.

Bullets coach Joey Wright after the game said, "For three-quarters of the game they worked a lot harder than we did."

Wildcats coach Scott Fisher said, "I think our defence was solid but of we can up it a little bit and get our offence flowing a little smoother, we'll give the Hawks a big shake."

Next match, the Perth Wildcats take on the Wollongong Hawks on Friday night at the WIN Entertainment Centre. Fox Sports has exclusive coverage, though on delay, from 10:00pm AEDT (7:00pm WA time).

The winner of that match will play the Melbourne Tigers in a best-of-three Semi Final series.

Stay tuned to SportsAustralia.com for finals news and reviews.

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