Bullets smash Razorbacks 132-112 in NBL
The Brisbane Bullets put an under-manned West Sydney Razorbacks to the sword at the Albury Sports Stadium on Thursday night, running away with a 132-112 victory.
In front of a raucous full house of 1250, the Bullets registered their 11th consecutive victory and maintained the hot form that has seen the Queensland club installed as raging favourites for the NBL crown.
The Bullets employed a brutal full-court trapping defence, crisp ball movement and a scorching transition offence to leave the Razorbacks lamenting missed opportunities.
Brisbane was led by Ebi Ere with 28 points, Sam Mackinnon and Stephen Black each scored 21 points, while Mick Hill chipped in with 19 points.
Import Justin Bailey and Graeme Dann each scored 22 points and Liam Rush scored 19 points for the cellar-dwelling Razorbacks. Bailey opened the scoring in the first quarter but it was the Bullets who dominated the period, taking a 38-25 lead at the first break due mainly to a swarming pressing defence.
The second stanza was more of the same with Brisbane going on a 13-4 run early that included a technical foul on Bailey and a monster dunk from Brisbane's Ere over the top of Razorbacks centre Cheikh Ya Ya Dia.
But the Pigs responded with an 8-0 run of their own to close the gap to 39-53 with seven minutes to play in the half.
However the Bullets steadied and pulled away to take a 74-54 lead at the main break, with Ebi Ere scoring the last five points of the quarter, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer.
The Razorbacks came out snarling to start the third period but the Bullets resisted every challenge and despite West Sydney's best efforts they could only reduce the margin to 18, 101-83 with one quarter to play.
Brisbane maintained their lead and were never headed during the final period as Black, Hill and Ere scored at will against a brittle Pigs defence.
The Bullets were without veteran centre Mark Bradtke, who did not play due to calf soreness while the Razorbacks desperately missed leading scorer James Harvey who was ruled out with a shoulder injury.
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