Recap | Bullets hold on after blistering start

The Brisbane Bullets produced a scintillating first half display and then made big plays late to survive a furious Perth Wildcats fightback to secure the 109-104 Ignite Cup by 7-Eleven win at Nissan Arena.

It was a first game at Nissan Arena for the Bullets since a big win to close NBL24 and they came into Wednesday night's match up fresh off an inspired win in Adelaide on Sunday.

The Bullets produced a stunning first half of basketball to put up 63 points to half-time with shooting 57 per cent from the field and 9/19 from downtown to lead by 20.

Raul Neto was at the forefront of that with 10 points and eight assists, but he wasn’t able to play the second half and even though the Bullets led in the third quarter by as much as 27, the Wildcats fired back and made it a two-point ball game with six minutes to play.

But the Bullets steadied and a pair of triples from Taine Murray, another from Lat Mayen and then some clutch free throws from captain Mitch Norton helped secure the five-point win to improve to a 6-5 record.

The Bullets ended up shooting 49 per cent from the field with 13/29 from beyond the arc and 22/25 at the free-throw line while having just six turnovers with three in each half.

Every payer that hit the floor made a significant contribution for the Bullets with Tyrell Harrison playing only 21 minutes but top scoring with 16 points, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

Taine Murray came up huge once more for 14 points, three rebounds and three assists with Lat Mayen contributing 14 points on 3/4 three-point shooting, and Jaylin Williams 13 points, five assists and four rebounds.

Nate Hinton also had 13 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks, Archie Woodhill seven points, three rebounds and two assists, Mawot Mag six points and three boards, and Harry Rouhliadeff three points, a rebound and a block.

Coming off their confidence building win in Adelaide on Sunday, the Bullets came out and blitzed the Wildcats from the outset racing to an 11-2 lead.

That was soon a 14-4 and 25-11 advantage for the Bullets and by the end of the period they were up 37-22 on 15/24 shooting from the field with 6/11 from the outside to the 8/18 and 2/5 from the 'Cats.

Nate Hinton had eight points, three rebounds and two assists for Brisbane, with Raul Neto running a clinic with six assists already, while Perth only had four as a team.

The Wildcats did offer a brief flurry in the second quarter to close the gap to 14, but the Bullets had all the answers including a huge block from Jaylin Williams on Angus Brandt up one end.

Brandt then had his ankles broken up the other leading to a bucket from his former Wildcats championship teammate Mitch Norton, and the Bullets retained control going into half-time leading 63-43.

The home team were still shooting 24/42 from the field and 9/19 from deep opposed to 15/37 and 5/12 with Williams having a strong all-round game with 10 points, three rebounds and four assists with 2/3 three-point shooting.

Neto was already up to 10 points and eight assists too while Lat Mayen marked his return with eight points and going 2/2 from the outside.

It was captain Mitch Norton out there to start the second half for the Bullets with Neto forced to sit and he capped off a 6-0 run to start which pushed the lead out to a game high 26.

Perth did cut the Brisbane lead back to 81-68 by three quarter-time and also won an Ignite Cup point in the process before hitting the first five points of the fourth quarter to get it back to a single figure ball game for the first time since the opening quarter.

Following a Will Weaver timeout, Doolittle hit another triple for the 'Cats and it was a two-point ball game but it was Kiwi Taine Murray the steadying influence for the home team with two massive three-pointers to get them back up 12 with three to play.

Mayen then closed the door on his team of last season with a third three of the game with the Bullets holding on for the five-point win.

The Bullets now are back on the road this weekend when they play Melbourne United on Saturday night ahead of another double in Round 9 away to the New Zealand Breakers on Friday and then back at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Sunday against the Tasmania JackJumpers.

GAME DETAILS

BRISBANE BULLETS 109
PERTH WILDCATS 104

Nissan Arena, Wednesday November 4

Tyrell Harrison – 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks
Taine Murray – 14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
Lat Mayen – 14 points, 3/4 3PT
Nate Hinton – 13 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks
Jaylin Williams – 13 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds
Mitch Norton – 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists