The Brisbane Bullets have overcome a 12-point final-quarter deficit to claim a four-point win over the undermanned Cairns Taipans in their NBL Sunshine Stoush.
Missing three starters and on a five-game losing streak, the Taipans showed enormous heart and seemed on track for what would have been a courageous win at Cairns Convention Centre on Saturday night.
They were leading by 12 points early in the final quarter, but the Bullets dug deep and avoided falling to a 2-5 win-loss record for the season.
After being down by 12, the Bullets scored 24 of the next 31 points, including huge three-point makes to Mitch Norton (two), James Batemon and Keandre Cook, to seal the 92-88 victory.
A block on a three-point attempt by Josh Bannan on Sam Waardenburg led to a finish in transition by Cook, and nine straight Brisbane points sealed the four-point victory away from home.
Batemon again stepped up as a scorer and shooter for Brisbane with 21 points, including going 3-of-5 from deep, with Cook adding 18 points and three assists, Bannan 16 points and five rebounds, and Tyrell Harrison 14 points and a monstrous 20 boards.
Captain Norton, playing game No.349, had 12 points and two assists as the Bullets made it three wins from their past four matches.
The Taipans came into the first Sunshine Stoush contest of the season missing starting trio Pedro Bradshaw (ankle), Taran Armstrong (ankle) and Tanner Groves (calf), and having lost by 43 points on Sunday to Melbourne United.
Cairns coach Adam Forde started development player Alex Higgins-Titsha, who grabbed his opportunity with 11 points to go with 11 rebounds, while experienced guards Kyle Adnam and Tad Dufelmeier didn’t hit the floor.
New signing Deshon Taylor, an injury replacement for Bradshaw, also didn’t suit up for the Taipans.
Cairns still put themselves in a position to avoid a sixth straight loss, with Rob Edwards putting up 27 points and three assists with 7-of-12 shooting from long range.
Waardenburg added 21 points and eight rebounds, and Jackson Makoi 13 points and four assists.
