Bullets defend their home court in thriller vs Hawks

The Brisbane Bullets put on a show in their first home game of the NBL22 season, beating the previously undefeated Illawarra Hawks 96-92 on Sunday afternoon.

Brisbane basketball fans had the chance to see the Bullets play at Nissan Arena for the first time in over six months and the team didn’t disappoint. While the vocal and passionate crowd seemed to spur the home side on throughout the contest, the Bullets returned the favour with some entertaining basketball in the clutch.

As he’s done many times before, guard Nathan Sobey led the way for the Bullets with 17 points and five assists. Especially in the fourth quarter, the 31-year-old was arguably the difference between the two teams with the game coming down to the wire.

Illawarra opened the scoring in the first quarter through a three-pointer to Duop Reath, but as a sign of what was to come, the Bullets responded almost immediately after. Guard Anthony Drmic knocked down a three of his own shortly after.

The two teams were relatively evenly matched throughout the first five minutes of the game, with the home side just ahead 10-7.

But the injection of Jason Cadee off the bench proved to be a masterstroke from coach James Duncan early on, with the lively guard having an immediate impact.

Cadee was fouled on his way to the basket and converted both of his chances from the free throw line. The 30-year-old had 10-points off the bench in the first-quarter alone, and would eventually finish the night with the equal second-most points of any Brisbane player.

The Bullets would go on to dominate the first quarter, scoring 30-points to the Hawks’ 20 in what was a high-scoring opening period.

The hosts continued to pile on the points in the second quarter with forward Robert Franks making it rain from deep with the opening possession of the second. Soon after, Tyrell Harrison’s second drunk of the game helped the Bullets race out to their largest lead of the opening half (15 points).

Illawarra did mount a fightback as this quarter went on though, with dangerman Tyler Harvey and Justinian Jessup knocking down a three-pointer each on back-to-back possessions. But the Bullets held on to lead by nine-points at half-time.

A 13-4 run from Illawarra after the break saw the visitors tie the game less than four minutes into the third, but the Bullets managed to bounce back.

After the two teams traded the lead, Jason Cadee’s fourth three-pointer of the night with just over two minutes to play in the third was a crucial moment for the team wearing blue and gold. But the Hawks wouldn’t say die, and continued to fight their way back to trail by just two late in the quarter.

But Brisbane piled on the points late and when it counted, with a Robert Franks buzzer beater rounding out a solid end to the third term. The Bullets managed to go into the quarter with an eight-point advantage heading into the final period.

Just one-point separated the two teams three minutes into the fourth, with the Bullets ahead 81-80.

But as the match continued to be closely fought, Nathan Sobey played his best quarter of the game. His nine points inside the final few minutes of the match were crucial, and helped guide the side to a famous win.

The Bullets now have a 2-2 record ahead of three consecutive matches at home.

NBL22 Round 3

BRISBANE BULLETS 96 (Sobey 17, Cadee 16, Franks 16)

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 92 (Froling 15, Reath 15, Cleveland 13)

BOX SCORE

Brisbane fans won’t have to wait too long to see their side back in action, with the Bullets set to play the Cairns Taipans at Nissan Arena on Boxing Day. Get your tickets HERE.