Bullets open with strong win in NZ

Casey Prather starred, Tyrell Harrison was imposing and the rest of the Brisbane Bullets all contributed strongly for the NBL26 season-opening 104-95 road win against the New Zealand Breakers.

The Bullets start the new season with three games away from home and that got underway on Friday night at Auckland's Spark Arena against the Breakers.

And even though it was a game that featured 24 lead changes throughout, the Bullets did have a degree of control for a lot of it and then it was a late 9-2 run in the fourth quarter that was instrumental in the eventual nine-point victory.

There was a lot to like in the first up performance from the Bullets under new coach Stu Lash including the team having 24 assists to just eight turnovers, and making all 16 of their free-throw attempts in the second half.

Brisbane also forced the Breakers into 16 turnovers along with shooting 5/29 from three-point territory.

Last season's club MVP Casey Prather is picking right back up to start NBL26 where he left off too producing 27 points on the back of shooting 11/21 from the field and 4/8 from three-point range.

Tyrell Harrison was a powerful force for Brisbane too ending up with 24 points and 15 rebounds with 8/11 shooting from the floor and 8/8 at the foul line.

Javon Freeman-Liberty had some highlight moments including a monster dunk in transition on the dish-off from Jaylen Adams, and finished with 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.

Speaking of Adams, the 2022 NBL MVP also had 14 points, seven assists and five steals while Alex Ducas showed some flashes in his 10 points and three assists.

Sam McDaniel was crucial at both ends of the floor too with 10 points and five rebounds while making life difficult for Breakers star Parker Jackson-Cartwright who ended up with 16 points on 7/15 shooting with six turnovers.

The Bullets didn’t get off to the ideal start away from home with a 7-3 opening from New Zealand, but Casey Prather was warming to the task with the team's first seven points and a three from Jaylen Adams put the visitors in front.

Alex Ducas made an immediate impact when he hit the floor landing a corner three and the Bullets went into quarter-time narrowly leading 21-20.

The Breakers opened up a five-point lead early in the second term but Brisbane answered with the next six points including Javon Freeman-Liberty's first NBL points.

Adams then scored on the buzzer after the Bullets forced the Breakers into another turnover for the 46-44 lead by half-time.

Throughout most of the third quarter the Bullets threatened to open up a handy lead and by three quarter-time with a late triple from Sam McDaniel, that advantage was out to eight.

Then in the fourth quarter, Brisbane got up 11 early with McDaniel hitting a second three ball, and soon after it was a 9-2 run that broke the game open and from there the Bullets were able to close the door on the nine-point victory.

The Bullets remain on the road next weekend with a game against the Cairns Taipans on Friday and then the Adelaide 36ers on Sunday before a first home game for NBL26 on Saturday October 4 against the Tasmania JackJumpers.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26

BRISBANE BULLETS 104 (Prather 27, Harrison 24, Freeman-Liberty 17)

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 95 (Jackson-Cartwright 16, Brockington 16, Mennenga 14)

BOX SCORE