Brisbane Bullets’ winning streak ended by Adelaide 36ers in spiteful clash
An early fourth quarter three-point blitz from Adelaide’s Anthony Drmic was enough to steer the 36ers past Brisbane and end the Bullets’ winning streak in a spiteful clash that included two wild scuffles and several unsportsmanlike fouls.
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Three long bombs from Adelaide’s Anthony Drmic in the final quarter helped the 36ers snatch a 101-91 victory over Brisbane in a spirited and occasionally spiteful NBL shootout at the Brisbane Convention Centre on Saturday.
The teams could not be separated at half time or three-quarter time but three rapid-fire three-pointers from Drmic in the fourth term proved to be the difference between the sides who clearly do not like each other.
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Adelaide’s win breathed life into its 2018-19 campaign while it also stopped Brisbane’s three-game winning streak in its tracks.
The 36ers improved their record to 6-8 with Nathan Sobey (24 points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals) and Daniel Johnson (20 points, eight rebounds, four assists) the stars for Adelaide while Drmic scored 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter.
Bullets coach Andrej Lemanis said while Drmic’s three-pointers “busted the game open”, Brisbane’s dip in defensive intensity was at the heart of the loss.
“We did some things to add to our own demise. I’m not sure that we were where we needed to be as a collective,’’ Lemanis said.
“I’ve used the term before, morphic resonance, it’s about working as a unit and having a complete understanding of what we are trying to achieve as a group as opposed to five individuals all trying hard but not necessarily connected.
“I thought we lacked in that for a little bit tonight.
“When you talk about Drmic’s threes, they were open. How did he get open? That was the bit where we perhaps let ourselves down … we weren’t where we needed to be at the defensive end.
“They hit some shots and made some plays.’’
The loss drops the Bullets back to 7-7 at the halfway mark of the regular season despite the best efforts of Lamar Patterson (24 points, seven rebounds, six assists), Cameron Bairstow (20 points, seven rebounds) and Jason Cadee (12 points, four assists).
Brisbane burst out of the blocks to start the third quarter with a 12-4 run with even an alley-oop pass attempt from Cam Gliddon going into the basket for two points.
But the 36ers had a surge of their own and levelled things up again and the teams went into three-quarter time at 72 apiece.
After a wild second quarter that featured two scuffles, three unsportsmanlike fouls and three lead changes, the teams went into halftime locked at 52-all.
The 36ers led by 11 points early in the second quarter after taking a 28-22 advantage in the first break with Conger to the fore for the visitors who took advantage of Brisbane being without Mika Vukona (calf).
With Patterson (15 points), Bairstow (12 points) and Cadee (eight points, three assists) the best for Brisbane, the home side came roaring back.
It was a high-scoring, free-flowing affair that ebbed and flowed in the first term before things turned nasty.
Gliddon and Adelaide’s Ramone Moore received unsportsmanlike fouls after the first scuffle when Gliddon bumped into 36ers big man Harry Froling after driving to the basket to put the home team in front.
Adelaide kicked away again only for Brisbane to mount another fightback just before the main break when Bullets centre Matt Hodgson clipped 36ers agitator Brendan Teys high to earn an unsportsmanlike foul.
Lemanis said the loss of Vukona — who should return from a calf strain for this Friday’s clash with Perth — was critical.
“It showed tonight how much we miss our emotional leader in Mika Vukona. He gives such a punch off the bench,’’ he said.
“He’s our best plus-minus guy as an individual so lacking his punch tonight and driving that defensive energy and grunt, that showed tonight.
“With Mika out of the rotation that just threw us out a little bit.’’
Adelaide coach Joey Wright said Drmic overcame some self-doubt to be the matchwinner.
“Drmic’s threes were huge. That’s just big shots,’’ Wright said.
“Hats off to him. If anybody deserves it he does. He’s been stressing so much. Drmic’s so emotional. Everything he think he says.
“Most players would have a little bit of that going on in (his head). He just says it.
“He’s pretty transparent. I’m happy for him because he’s been working hard.”
He said the 36ers had “forgot how to win” for a period of time but the victory gives them precious confidence and momentum.
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Originally published as Brisbane Bullets’ winning streak ended by Adelaide 36ers in spiteful clash
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