Bullets bounce back against Phoenix on the road

In their third game of Round 15, the Brisbane Bullets have delivered a hearty 84-79 win against South East Melbourne Phoenix in Melbourne on Monday night.

Coming up against a tough Phoenix roster who are fighting for a spot in the top six, the Bullets showed great resilience and held strong on the road.

It was a first quarter made up of runs from both teams and the first came courtesy of the Phoenix taking a 13-7 lead early.

The Bullets immediately responded with the next seven points. That 7-0 run saw Brisbane grab the lead, but it was only brief with the Phoenix hitting the next seven points including a three from Gary Browne before going into quarter-time up 24-18.

The Phoenix stretched their lead out to nine to start the second quarter and the margin was still eight when Williams scored down low, but it was the Bullets who took control for the rest of the half.

Tyrell Harrison and Nathan Sobey both completed three-point plays, Jason Cadee got an and-one and then he closed the half with a three-point bomb on the buzzer to have 18 points going into the break.

Brisbane put up 30 points to 17 for the quarter, their best of the season, and put the onus back on the Phoenix to respond with the 48-41 lead.

It took just over four minutes into the third quarter for the Phoenix to draw a fourth foul on Aron Baynes to see him sit for Brisbane, and they worked their way back on top.

South East Melbourne scored 11 of the second half's first 13 points and it was a 7-0 run that saw Bullets Hostplus Head Coach Greg Vanderjagt call for time.

The Phoenix maintained that two-point lead by three quarter-time having outscored the Bullets 22 points to 13 in the period. They home side took an early five point lead in the fourth, but Brisbane resonded.

DJ Mitchell hit a three for Brisbane, Harry Froling scored rolling to the basket, and then Tyler Johnson forced the backcourt turnover on Browne forcing Phoenix into a timeout.

Straight out of that, Froling found Sobey for another bucket and Brisbane was back up two with just over seven minutes on the clock. Sobey drained a deep three and the Bullets' lead grew to five and the tension on the Phoenix was mounting.

South East Melbourne stopped the 12-0 Brisbane run with a pair of free-throws with five to play. Four at the line from Williams brought it back to one with the Phoenix in the bonus, but again Brisbane steadied.

Harrison scored inside to put them back up five, forced Phoenix into some tough shots and in the end secured the stunning upset.

Jason Cadee put up 18 points in the first half on his way to a season-best 28 for the game, at 58 FG%, with four rebounds and three assists.

Nathan Sobey added 15 points, DJ Mitchell 10 to go with five rebounds, three assists and two blocks, Tyrell Harrison nine points, and Tyler Johnson eight with a +/- of 12.

For the Phoenix, Alan Williams finished with 19 points and nine rebounds and Mitch Creek had 17 points and 13 rebounds.

The Bullets are back home to host the Adelaide 36ers on Thursday night. Tickets available HERE.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 15

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX 79 (Williams 19, Creek 17, Browne 12)

BRISBANE BULLETS 84 (Cadee 28, Sobey 15, Mitchell 10) 

BOX SCORE