Brisbane halved their far northern road double and held fourth spot on the NBL ladder, easily beating Cairns 110-96.

An emotional Simon Kerle finished with a game-high 28 points in a man of the match performance for the Bullets.

But Kerle's sublime efforts on the court were marred by a technical foul for remonstrating with season ticket holders sitting directly behind the visitors bench, late in the final quarter.

Bobby Brannen won the battle of the big men with a double, 23 points and 11 boards, against Cairns' Chris Burgess 11 and 11.

Brisbane import Bryant Mathews had 17, while Anthony Stewart led the Cairns scoring with 21, Melvin Thomas had 19 and Gary Boodnikoff 16.

Brisbane coach Joey Wright, aware his side were backing up from playing the Crocs in Townsville, saved the Bullets run all for the final quarter, resting Rucker, Stephen Black, Mathews and Brannen the entire third term.

Kerle's hot hand gave the Bullets a single point third quarter advantage, 81-80.

Brisbane played like they fully expected Cairns' shooting to cool and when it did the Bullets where waiting, Simon Kerle capped the decisive 13-2 run with his sixth three point bomb to take the visitors to safety at 94-82 midway through the final term.

Cairns led the first quarter 30-26, an out-of-position Boodnikoff had nine to the break, including two of four from three-point range as the Taipans converted five of nine from outside the arc.

The lead changed several times in the first half but the introduction of Mathews by the Bullets, and a 13-point contribution from Brannen, pushed Brisbane out by seven.

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