NBL25, Round 5, news and results: Batemon, Bannan, star as Bullets beat the Breakers

James Batemon has proved the difference to allow the Bullets to prevail in a battle with the Breakers in Brisbane.

For the second successive week American import James Batemon proved the decisive difference that allowed the Brisbane Bullets to prevail.

Batemon, 21 points, scorched in a sensational showing at the Brisbane Entertainment centre that spearheaded his Bullets to a thrilling last-gasp 84-73 victory over the visiting Breakers.

It was a highlight-laden performance from the three-point flamethrower that just one fortnight ago couldn’t buy a bucket.

Fast forward to Thursday night and Batemon had gone from Mr Streaky to Fan Favourite with a stirring deep-shooting masterclass that featured five threes, a nasty cross-over to score in the fourth and a diving effort moments later that led to a timely jam by Harrison which had the BEC humming.

“We felt a bit disappointed in our first performance in front of the home crowd. You want to put on something you are proud of. We felt we could have been better there,” Bullets forward Josh Bannon said.

“It was good to rally back as a group and play with some more toughness and that is something we are going to build on.

“Establish a real fortress here, this is going to be a tough place to come and play. We are going to make sure of that.”

In a masterstroke by Batemon and his coach Justin Schueller to light a fire beneath the Milwaukee magician, Batemon came off the bench against the Phoenix in round 4.

In that game he hit the dagger to win 87-85 and with similar heroics against the Breakers, when the game swung in the balance, he sunk a crucial trey just under three minutes from time to take a commanding 76-68 lead.

That lead was not surrendered and deservedly the brilliant Batemon struck away downcourt in the final play to add the exclamation mark to his game-high 21 points.

“There’s something with this group in close games, I just feel very good about us down the stretch,” Josh Bannan said.

James Batemon came off the bench and fired the Bullets to a second successive win. Picture: Getty Images

BATEMON GOES BANG BANG

After dropping a crucial 20 points in Brisbane’s first win of the season last week, import guard Batemon showed it was no flash in the pan with his three-point-masterclass a big factor at home on Thursday.

He had the hot hand scoring 14 points across the first three quarters, in the process shushing any whispers he was a waste of space on Brisbane’s roster this season.

Batemon came to life in the second quarter draining three treys and his confident shooting form deep gave Brisbane the edge on a night where the Breakers’ 208cm big man Jonah Bolden scored the equal-most threes (tied with Jackson-Cartwright with three) for his team.

Batemon went 4-5 from downtown before former Indiana Pacers draft pick Mojave King (eight points in less than three minutes) caught fire to start the fourth and spark life into the Breakers.

Then with a little over six minutes remaining, with a textbook drive to the cup, Jackson-Cartwright handed the visitors their first lead 64-63 since they were ahead 9-8 early in the game.

Batemon and his Bullets ensured that was the last time they trailed.

“It’s great to see him settle in and get going. We need that from him. We love to see it,” Bannan said.

“We weren’t ever questioning what he was trying to do it was like how do we continue to help him get better and help him find his spots,” Schueller added.

Keandre Cook slams home the finish for the Bullets. Picture: Getty Images

JACKSON-CARTWRIGHT CARNAGE

Where would the Breakers be without Parker Jackson-Cartwright?

They wouldn’t have been in this game without the diminutive MVP contender throwing the team on his shoulders and giving the Bullets work.

Brisbane captain Mitch Norton found himself on ‘PJC island’ a handful of occasions and on an efficient clip (12 points, 5-8 shooting), Jackson-Cartwright ensured his side was right there entering the third frame.

If he wasn’t draining mid-range jumpers, he was dishing left, right and centre to his teammates who were freed up wonderfully by the dynamic American.

Prather, in his 100th NBL game, was influential for Brisbane in response, dropping in seven first-half points alongside James Batemon (11 points, 3-4 three pointers) to steer the side to a 39-33 halftime lead.

The Bullets won all four quarters on their way to notching win No.2 on the season.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright was unstoppable at times for the Breakers. Picture: Getty Images

BIG MEN PRODUCTION

The Bullets led 17-13 after the first quarter and could have amassed a much bigger lead had they capitalised on a sluggish Breakers outfit that showed no signs they had just warmed their engines against three high-class NBA teams in the States.

The home side picked off errant passes, ran the floor well, showed active hands and rarely settled for three in a quarter that presented a handful of good signs.

Keandre Cook (two steals) was king on the defensive end with deflections aplenty.

“We needed to hit first. We wanted to come out and have that stand. A bit of desire and hunger. To hold them to 13 and set the table for us was outstanding,” Schueller said.

“It (noticing Cook’s defence in the preseason) was like ‘wow’ this guy can be very good for us on both sides of the ball,” Banned added.

Big men Tyrell Harrison, Rocco Zikarsky and Toni Smith-Milner, against his former team, all contributed in their own ways.

The brick-wall screens of Zikarsky opened things up for blokes like Isaac White and James Batemon. Harrison shouldered plenty of defensive pressure early distributing the rock out of the post and Smith-Milner sunk a trey with his first shot coming off the bench.

Brisbane coach Justin Schueller was looking for a big defensive effort to spark the offence and he got it in a strong first half showing.

“We are starting to get it in terms of the way we are getting after it in practice,” Bannon said.

Originally published as NBL25, Round 5, news and results: Batemon, Bannan, star as Bullets beat the Breakers