Brisbane Bullets keep Winning on the Road

The Brisbane Bullets have held on to score a memorable 120-117 victory over the Melbourne Tigers in a double-overtime thriller at the State Netball and Hockey Centre tonight.

The home side looked poised to claim victory and a slice of history as they established handy leads in both the second half and first overtime period. But Brisbane twice clawed back to level the scores before taking the honours in the second overtime, denying Melbourne an NBL record 20th consecutive home win.

Victory also capped a highly successful road trip for the Bullets, winning three matches in four nights including a one-point thriller over the Wildcats in Perth on Wednesday night and then both Victorian teams on successive nights.

Stephen Black scored 24 points, including one of two free throws in the final seconds of the second overtime to seal victory, while import Ebi Ere also landed 24 points. Sam Mackinnon bounced back from last night’s eventful encounter with South Dragons’ captain-coach Shane Heal to record 21 points and 13 rebounds.

Both Mackinnon and Heal were ejected from the game last night and subsequently charged today by the League for fighting with a formal hearing scheduled next week.

After an uninspiring opening half, Melbourne leapt to a 12-point third quarter lead but poor ball control under a pressing Brisbane defence saw the visitors get back into the contest.

Both sides worked their way into the lead in the fourth quarter but with Tigers centre Chris Anstey and Stephen Black unable to hit the game-winning shot in the final seconds, scores were tied at 96 to force overtime.

The Tigers then appeared to have Brisbane’s measure in the first overtime period, charging to a seven-point lead before the Bullets reeled them in again.

A second overtime was required after Darryl McDonald’s last-second shot attempted was blocked, leaving scores tied at 108 apiece.

Brisbane made the decisive run in the final minute of the second overtime, CJ Bruton’s lay-up giving them the lead with twenty seconds remaining.

On the next possession, Rashad Tucker was called for a charging foul and despite Stephen Black leaving Melbourne a glimmer of hope by missing one of two foul shots, Anstey’s last-ditch three-pointer failed to connect.

For Melbourne, Anstey scored a game-high 29 points with nine rebounds while Darryl McDonald added 20 points and Rashad Tucker chipped in with a 15 point, 14 rebound performance. The Tigers have now lost successive games to the New Zealand Breakers and Brisbane and dropped to fourth on the NBL ladder.

Melbourne will look to extract revenge on Brisbane when the two sides meet again next Saturday night at the same venue.

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