Last-placed Cairns Taipans put a severe dent in the Brisbane Bullets' fading NBL finals aspirations with a comprehensive 111-80 victory. The Taipans dominated the first half 62-45 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Friday night before finishing with an authoritative 29-15 final term.
Rob Edwards hit 7-of-11 three-pointers en route to his 35-point haul, including 22 points scored during the first half. He was aided by guard Taran Armstrong, who netted 19 points, and centre Tanner Groves, who contributed 17. "Sometimes we treat defence like a well-organised pick-up game," Cairns coach Adam Forde remarked. "You can manage and navigate it, and the boys responded. Obviously, we're not playing for a play-in position, but we are playing for pride."
On the other hand, the Bullets’ import Casey Prather provided his already injury-ravaged team with quite the scare when he exited the game early with discomfort to his right knee. Fortunately, he returned to play, posting 22 points and nine rebounds by the end of the match. Josh Bannan added 16 points and 12 rebounds for Brisbane, which suffered its third consecutive defeat—collectively by 76 points—in just six days. A clearly frustrated Bullets coach, Justin Schueller, admitted, "I've felt a couple of times in these last few games it's physically gotten hard. That's the challenge I've got right now: how do we turn this around quickly?"
The game started with Cairns jumping out to an early 14-5 lead. Prather helped the Bullets claw back within two points, but Armstrong's stepback trey at the quarter-time buzzer provided the Snakes with a favorable 31-24 buffer. Things took a quick downturn for the Bullets when import Josh Adams committed an unsportsmanlike foul, effectively conceding six consecutive points to the Taipans. This included three-point plays from Pedro Bradshaw and Groves, putting pressure on Brisbane’s defense.
Edwards was particularly red-hot throughout the opening term, scoring 13 points right out of the gate, adding another nine points during the second quarter. His sixth three-pointer from seven attempts—landed on the half-time buzzer—extended Cairns' cushion to 17 points as they went to the locker rooms. The Taipans shot exceptionally well, hitting 21-of-33 from the field (10-of-14 from distance) during the first half, leaving Brisbane’s defense scrambling.
Brisbane did find their footing slightly, managing to trade points evenly during the third quarter, which ended at 20-all. Nevertheless, the Taipans saved their best for last, finishing the game strong. Kyrin Galloway provided the final highlight with a thunderous dunk inside the final minute, complemented by another three-pointer and another slam dunk from Edwards.
This decisive victory doesn't just serve as a boost for Cairns but raises questions about Brisbane's ability to rebound at such a pivotal juncture of the season. The pressure is certainly mounting as the Bullets prepare for their next match-up, reflecting on the coach's admission of needing rapid improvements. Schueller's acknowledgment echoes the sentiments felt by the team and their fans, underscoring the tough road ahead.
The heavy defeat, marked by the lack of defensive effort, means Brisbane must quickly shed the weight of consecutive losses if they hope to keep their finals hopes alive. While Cairns may not be aiming for post-season play, showing they can dismantle higher-ranked teams like the Bullets plays greatly to their pride, emphasizing the unpredictability of competitive sports.