Bullets score last 16 points against Kings

In an exciting return to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, a record crowd came out to support the Brisbane Bullets in their first home game of NBL25 against the Sydney Kings.

Although the evening didn’t unfold exactly as planned, the Bullets demonstrated their fighting spirit by scoring the last 16 points of the game.

The night kicked off with a bang as Casey Prather electrified the crowd with a stunning one-handed slam.

Despite facing a challenging first half where they trailed by 20 points, the Bullets rallied in the fourth quarter, showcasing their determination and grit. The final score was 91-82 in favor of the Kings, but the effort from the Bullets left fans optimistic.

Prather led the charge for Brisbane, finishing with 17 points, five rebounds, and three steals, shooting an impressive 8/15.

Next Star Rocco Zikarsky had some impressive moments on his way to 11 points and five rebounds including making the first three-pointer of his NBL career.

Tyrell Harrison added to the excitement with a well-rounded performance of 10 points, five assists, four rebounds, three blocks, and two steals.

Keandre Cook finished with 12 points and three rebounds with James Batemon contributing nine points and nine boards, Josh Bannan eight points and 11 rebounds in his return, Isaac White six points and four boards, and captain Mitch Norton five points and four assists.

After the game, coach Justin Schueller highlighted the positives, noting the team’s strong finish and the ability to compete with a talented opponent like Sydney.

"We tie with them in the third and win the fourth, and they're the positives in it and are things that we can continue to build on," he said.

"They're a talented group so for us to be able to say that for patches there we can go pound for pound which gives me great hope for what we can become, but the frustration is the hole in the second quarter that we create.

"We had six or seven turnovers in the first quarter again and it's just self-harming which is something that we have to be much better."

Although the Bullets faced challenges, their resilience and ability to score the final 16 points of the game left fans hopeful for what lies ahead.

Next up, the Bullets will hit the road to face the South East Melbourne Phoenix, which promises to be another thrilling matchup, especially with the return of former captain Nathan Sobey.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2024/25

BRISBANE BULLETS 82 (Prather 17, Cook 12, Zikarsky 11)

SYDNEY KINGS 91 (Cooks 23, Leaupepe 22, Toohey 11)

BOX SCORE