Bullets Hold Off JackJumpers in Cadee's 350th

Sunday, November 6, 2022

It became quite the dog fight down the stretch with both teams desperate to go into the FIBA break with a win and it was the Brisbane Bullets who made it three straight by holding on against the Tasmania JackJumpers 74-72 on Saturday.

It became quite the dog fight down the stretch with both teams desperate to go into the FIBA break with a win and it was the Brisbane Bullets who made it three straight by holding on against the Tasmania JackJumpers 74-72 on Saturday.

Despite the Bullets leading most of the game, it always had a feeling it would come down to the wire with the JackJumpers' never-say-die attitude and that's exactly what happened.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1WS38A-YWak" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

In the end, a horror backcourt turnover by the Bullets opened the door for Josh Magette to cut the deficit to one with 30 seconds to play.

Aron Baynes made one free-throw and the JackJumpers had a chance to tie it, Jack McVeigh had a good look with his trademark one-footed floater, but it rimmed out and the Bullets held on for the two-point win.

The Bullets snapped their five-game losing slide to open NBL23 with two thumping wins over the Illawarra Hawks and they headed to MyState Bank Arena nine days after having last played to take on the JackJumpers in hostile territory.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Never say die! The Jackies have cut down a massive lead ?<br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL23?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL23</a> live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel ? <a href="https://t.co/wM8rGO3Yxy">pic.twitter.com/wM8rGO3Yxy</a></p>— The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1588809619853434883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Tasmania came in having won five of its past six games including a strong win in Perth on Thursday, but it was a short turnaround and the Bullets came out impressively to open up an 18-point lead late in the second quarter.

Brisbane led from late in the opening quarter and held on in a frantic finish on the back of shooting 45 per cent from the field to 33 from Tasmania along with winning the rebound count by eight to help them overcome 20 turnovers.

Baynes finished with 16 points and nine rebounds for the Bullets with Nathan Sobey adding 14 points and seven assists, Tyler Johnson 13 points, Ty Harrison 12 points and eight rebounds, and Jason Cadee five points and two assists in NBL game 350.

Afterwards, Cadee was happier that his team continued to build and the fact it was a milestone game was just a bonus.

"When I had my 300th we got our butt whacked down in Launceston so this was definitely a much better feeling, but it was as tough as nails out there," Cadee said.

"They're a tough group, they play hard and physical, and it's probably the first time this year we've really shown some resilience in that last quarter to stick at it defensively, make plays and keep fighting. To do that on a night which is pretty special for me is excellent."

The JackJumpers never fully got going but still gave themselves a chance with 17 points and three rebounds from McVeigh. Milton Doyle ended up with 12 points and three boards, Sean Macdonald 11 points with 3/6 from deep and Josh Magette 11 points, three assists and three steals.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Isaac White said "I got this"<br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL23?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL23</a> live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel ? <a href="https://t.co/Ggl16ulYnv">pic.twitter.com/Ggl16ulYnv</a></p>— The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1588790744932057090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Tasmania coach Scott Roth was happy with his team's response from a tough start, but it just wasn’t quite enough on the night.

"They were a little Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde kind of halves there but we held them to 28 in the second half and got back to what we need to be doing," Roth said.

"When you're playing defence at times and the ball's not going in, you can lose track of just continuing to defend and I think that happened to us, and we got a little anxious with some open shots that missed. We sit here 5-5 and the world's still spinning, though, and it's all good."

Coming off the momentum of Thursday night's win in Perth, Jack McVeigh gave Tasmania the game's first three points but they did take a minute and-a-half to come. Brisbane then worked into the game with a 6-0 run.

The Bullets closed the first quarter with another run of six straight points including two strong finishes from Ty Harrison to head into the quarter-time break leading 19-14 with the JackJumpers unable to connect from beyond the arc.

Aron Baynes then gave the Bullets the first six points of the second quarter when he hit a three and turned it into a four-point play. Nathan Sobey drained a triple as well as did DJ Mitchell with the lead growing to 16 before finally the JackJumpers made their first three of the game after 13 misses.

It came from Isaac White and soon after McVeigh hit another, but Brisbane remained in control and another 6-0 run that included a dunk from Harrison after a full-court outlet pass from Harry Froling saw them up 46-30 at the half.

The Bullets shot 50 per cent from the field opposed to 29 to half-time while pulling down 24 rebounds to 17.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">9??3?? FOOT PASS FOR THE JAM ?<br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL23?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL23</a> live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel ? <a href="https://t.co/vdjt3MT6zO">pic.twitter.com/vdjt3MT6zO</a></p>— The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1588792366952960001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The JackJumpers might have gone 2/18 from deep in the first half, but that soon changed to start the second with Sean Macdonald hitting two in quick succession. McVeigh then added another and suddenly it was a seven-point ball game.

McVeigh, Macdonald and Josh Magette all added threes throughout the quarter but Brisbane did well especially in their aggressiveness to live at the foul line and maintain an 11-point lead by three quarter-time.

The JackJumpers kept coming, though, and a couple of buckets to Sam McDaniel and then three ball from Magette had them within eight. Baynes did steady Brisbane with his team's next seven points, but Tasmania then hit the next nine including Magette intercepting a backcourt pass from Sobey to Johnson for the layup.

That made it a one-point game with 30 seconds to go and after the Baynes free-throw, Tasmania got a good look through McVeigh but it didn't quite fall and Brisbane held on.

The game is the last for both teams heading into the FIBA break with the JackJumpers next in action hosting the New Zealand Breakers on Friday November 18. The Bullets next play host to the Cairns taipans the next day.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 6

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 72 (McVeigh 17, Doyle 12, Magette 11, Macdonald 11)

BRISBANE BULLETS 74 (Baynes 16, Sobey 14, Johnson 13)

BOX SCORE