Recap | Harrison, Hinton efforts not quite enough

The Brisbane Bullets pulled down 22 offensive rebounds and got big performances from Tyrell Harrison and Nate Hinton, but it wasn’t quite enough in Cairns with the Taipans prevailing 97-91.

It was the first Sunshine Stoush match up between the Queensland rivals of the season on Thursday night at the Cairns Convention Centre and it was a fluctuating affair all evening.

The Bullets led 50-47 at half-time and then retook the lead with the opening six points of the fourth quarter, but the Taipans finished better, including scoring the game's last five points for the eventual six-point win on their home floor.

The Bullets didn't have their best shooting night, going 42 per cent from the field and 8/33 at 24 per cent from the outside, but they gave themselves a shot thanks to their work on the offensive glass.

Brisbane pulled down 22 offensive boards for the game including nine from Harrison, five from Mackinnon and three from Velička to end up attempting 17 extra shots in the game from the Taipans to have a chance.

Hinton delivered the best performance of his short NBL career so far with 30 points, six rebounds and two assists on 13/24 shooting from the field.

Harrison provided another huge performance with 23 points, 18 rebounds, three blocks and two steals with 10/16 shooting even if he did only play just under 28 minutes.

Jaylin Williams also ended up with nine points, three rebounds and two assists, Mackinnon nine points, 13 rebounds and five assists, Velička eight points, eight assists, five rebounds and two steals.

Jacob Holt finished with seven points and three rebounds, and Lat Mayen five points and two boards.

Brisbane did start well with the opening five points of the game courtesy of Tyrell Harrison and Max Mackinnon but the Taipans soon worked on top to be leading by eight late in the opening term.

Cairns were still leading 23-17 by quarter-time with the Bullets getting a bucket from Mackinnon on the buzzer with Nate Hinton having eight points in the opening frame while Arnas Velička had three assists despite missing his three shot attempts.

The Bullets then produced a huge second quarter amassing 33 points on the back of shooting 13/21 from the field with 4/17 from the outside and Nate Hinton had another eight points to have 16 at the half.

Tyrell Harrison was also up to 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocks with the Bullets going into the interval leading 50-47 on the back of eight offensive rebounds to four and getting up an extra three shot attempts as a result.

The momentum turned again the way of the home team in the third quarter and despite Brisbane collecting eight offensive rebounds in the term, they only managed to turn that into 22 points on 8/20 shooting.

Cairns had 27 points up the other end to be leading 74-72 at three quarter-time but the Bullets started the fourth quarter on fire with the opening six points to go up four themselves.

The Snakes hit back to be up five inside the last five minutes but the Bullets responded with a triple to Mackinnon to make it a two-point ball game once again.

Harrison scored with a minute and-a-half to go with a dunk on the picture-perfect pass from Velička before Hinton knocked down a massive triple to make it a one-point margin again with just over a minute to play.

But Cairns would score the only five points of the game from there to secure the six-point Sunshine Stoush win.

The Bullets now have a full seven days until playing again when they return home to host the South East Melbourne Phoenix next Thursday night.

GAME DETAILS

BRISBANE BULLETS 91
CAIRNS TAIPANS 97

Cairns Convention Centre, Thursday October 8

Nate Hinton – 30 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
Tyrell Harrison – 23 points, 18 rebounds, 3 blocks
Max Mackinnon – 9 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists
Jaylin Williams – 9 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Arnas Velička – 8 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds