Preview: Round 3 v Perth Wildcats

The Brisbane Bullets are looking to record back-to-back wins when they come up against the Perth Wildcats again on Friday.

Brisbane made a statement with their thrilling double-overtime win over the Wildcats at Perth’s RAC Arena last weekend, in what was their first of two consecutive away matches at the venue. The result saw the Wildcats’ undefeated start to the season come to an end.

It was also a crucial win for the Bullets who had gone down fighting in an overtime loss the week before in the season opener against the Tasmania JackJumpers.

The Bullets trailed by six points late in their first match in Perth, but a Lamar Patterson three in the dying stages kept the visitors in the fight and forced overtime.

After another tense first overtime period, the two teams still couldn’t be separated. In the end, it came down to a clutch three from guard Robert Franks which helped the Bullets win 97-94.

This upcoming Round 3 clash is another exciting challenge for the Bullets who would love nothing more than to be 2-1 before they return home to Nissan Arena this Sunday.

Match Details

Tip-off: Friday, December 17 at 8:30pm AEST

Venue: RAC Arena

Broadcast: Live on ESPN via Kayo or Foxtel

Tale of the Tape

Recent Form (Includes Pre-Season)

Brisbane: W-W-L-L-W

Wildcats: W-L-W-W-L

The Bullets returned to winning ways with their dramatic double-overtime win over the Wildcats last Sunday. It was an important win for the Brisbane outfit, who had lost in overtime in their season opener against Tasmania.

Including November’s NBL Blitz, it was the Bullets’ second win over the Wildcats in as many meetings after beating them by 10 in Tasmania.

Brisbane have a strong recent record against the Wildcats, and they started in fine form again last Sunday. An Anthony Drmic layup opened the scoring at Perth’s RAC Arena, which helped spur the Bullets onto an early 13-6 lead.

The Bullets fought their way back from being five points down with the most convincing quarter of the match, with the visitors outscoring their opponents 26-17 in the second. Guard Jason Cadee knocked down a deep three mid-way through the quarter to give Brisbane the lead.

But everything in this game was building towards a tense and thrilling finish in Perth, as the two teams couldn’t be separated by the end of regulation.

After another even display during the first period of overtime, the game was eventually decided by a Robert Franks three with just over 20 seconds left on the clock.

Key Players

Lamar Patterson – Brisbane Bullets

Recent history between the Bullets and Wildcats tells us that big-game players delivering in key moments has been the difference between the two sides. Including last Friday’s game, three of the last six meetings between the two clubs have been decided by just three points.

In the 97-94 win over the Wildcats, it was a Lamar Patterson three-pointer with just over 20-seconds to go in regulation, that ultimately sent the game to overtime.

Following the match, the American forward was highlighted on Bullets’ socials as the HostPlus Performance of the Game. The 30-year-old put up a team-high 27 points on the night, including six from eight from the arc, and also added four assists.

Patterson has shown time and time again he is reliable in clutch moments and he’ll no doubt want to continue this form in the second meeting with the Wildcats on Friday.

Another American, Robert Franks, also put up 21 points and had 12 rebounds during his 40 minutes on the floor last game. He was another player who showed up when it was needed, with his three giving his side the lead deep into the second period of overtime.

Vic Law – Perth Wildcats

It’s not very often that three-time NBL MVP Bryce Cotton is outshone for the Wildcats, but former Brisbane Bullets player Vic Law did just that in the three-point loss. 

The American registered a game-high 29 points, and had four rebounds. Law knocked down some clutch shots, with the guard scoring his third straight three with just over 40 seconds on the clock in double-overtime. Perth’s Red Army voted Law as their Fan MVP on the night.

He’s had a strong start to the season as well, after scoring 37-points in their season opener against the Adelaide 36ers on December 3^rd.

While the previously mentioned Bryce Cotton will by no means be overlooked by the Bullets on gameday, Law does seem to be the dangerman at the moment.

Next Home Game

The Bullets will return to the river city on Sunday 19 December against the Illawarra Hawks. Be at Nissan Arena to cheer on the Bullets and get your tickets today!