Phoenix overpower Bullets in Brisbane

It wasn’t the start to a three-game home stand the Brisbane Bullets were hoping for with the South East Melbourne Phoenix powerful in their 109-86 win but there's two more games next week to come at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

The Bullets returned home fresh off coming back from a 24-point deficit to beat the New Zealand Breakers in Auckland on Thursday as they attempted to win their first home game of the season.

South East Melbourne were coming off their own big win on Thursday against the Sydney Kings and the visitors got off to a 14-1 start to the game, and did remain on top for a lot of the evening on the way to the eventual 23-point victory.

The Phoenix finished the game taking 25 extra shots than Brisbane while pulling down 26 offensive rebounds and combined with the 17 turnovers from the Bullets, and it was a tough night for the home team.

Casey Prather once again top-scored for the Bullets with 18 points to go with five rebounds and two steals with Tyrell Harrison finishing with 14 points, 10 boards, two assists and two blocked shots.

Jaylen Adams ended up going 8/10 at the foul line and ended up with 13 points, seven assists and four rebounds with Taine Murray contributing 12 points, two assists and two blocks, and Lamar Patterson 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Alex Ducas also had six points, two rebounds and two steals, Tristan Devers five points and three boards, Jack Purchase three points and a rebound, and Cal Dalton two points, two rebounds and two assists.

Former Bullets captain Nathan Sobey top-scored for the Phoenix with 29 points with 5/10 three-point shooting while Brown had 12 points before being ejected and Jordan Hunter also scored 12 points, Akech Aliir 10, Angus Glover 10, Hunter Maldonado nine, Malique Lewis nine and Owen Foxwell nine.

It was another slow start from the Bullets with Brisbane racing out to a 14-1 start to the game including three-pointers from John Brown III and former Bullets captain Nathan Sobey.

Brisbane were able to respond strongly, though, with the next 11 points of the game with import trio Casey Prather, Jaylen Adams and Lamar Patterson all scoring a bucket each to get things rolling.

It remained a tight game by quarter-time with South East Melbourne leading 23-20 with the Bullets staying close by shooting 50 per cent the field to make up for the Phoenix taking 13 extra shots with the 10 offensive rebounds and just one turnover.

The Bullets also started well in the second quarter with an 8-0 run again started by Patterson and Prather as they took a four-point lead, but again the phoenix responded including with a couple of three-pointers to centre Jordan Hunter.

South East Melbourne went on to be leading 46-39 by half-time still taking an extra 10 shots than Brisbane but the Bullets were still shooting better and had 11 points from Prather while Tyrell Harrison had nine points, six rebounds and two blocks.

The Phoenix then opened up the second half with a 9-3 run and then even with some drama with Brown picking up a second technical foul to be ejected, the visitors continued to be aggressive to get to the foul line and also put the Bullets under the pump.

South East Melbourne ended up scoring 37 points in the third quarter with 15 fere-throw attempts and forcing Brisbane into another five turnovers to open up a 22-point lead by three quarter-time.

Things never really got any better for the Bullets in the fourth quarter with the Phoenix going on to win by 23 but there was a late highlight for the home team with Jensen Bradtke getting his first NBL points when he connected at the foul line.

The Bullets now have two more home games in-a-row starting this Thursday night against the Cairns Taipans before also being back at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre against the Sydney Kings next Saturday.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26

BRISBANE BULLETS 86 (Prather 18, Harrison 14, Adams 13)

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX 109 (Sobey 29, Hunter 12, Brown III 12)

BOX SCORE