Quest for consistency: Positive moves off the court in Brisbane have Bullets eyeing on-court success

They’ve added legendary NBA pedigree to ownership and will boast four internationals in the FIBA window, but there’s a reality Brisbane Bullets coach Justin Schueller knows only too well — and he wants it to change.

The Brisbane Bullets aren’t quite the finished product — on or off the court — but, amid welcoming NBA royalty to the club’s ownership and international call ups for a quartet of players, coach Justin Schueller says his team has the mettle to bridge the gap between its best and worst.

In a week where NBA legend George ‘The Iceman’ Gervin purchased a stake in the club, the Bullets fell short of Tasmania in a rollercoaster 95-92 thriller and will back up Sunday at home against a Perth team that just smacked South East Melbourne and got 33 points out of superstar Bryce Cotton — in his first game for a month.

Brisbane coach Justin Schueller says his Bullets are hunting consistency. Picture: Getty Images

“Really exciting … this is who we are becoming as a club, there’s a lot of positives in and around the things that are happening,” Schueller said of the new ownership additions in Gervin and GameAbove Sports.

“We’ve just got to continue to get the product on the floor right.

“We know we’re not a finished product, yet, so (we’re) excited for where we’ll end up by the end of this year.”

So far, the Bullets have been a Jekyll and Hyde team, mixing explosive scoring quarters and lockdown defence with periods of offensive futility and an inability to stop teams putting the ball in the bucket.

Josh Bannan’s Boomers’ call up with double as another opportunity to find touch after an interrupted start to the season through injury. Picture: Getty Images

Giant teen Rocco Zikarsky will wear the green and gold again next week. Picture: Getty Images

Friday night’s 95-92 loss to Tasmania was a microcosm of their season. Brisbane burst out of the blocks with 31 points in the first and came home with a wet sail with 32 in the fourth. Unfortunately, that sandwiched just 29 total across the second and third periods. Flashback three weeks to the last time they met the JackJumpers and the Bullets were held to an NBL25 season low nine points in the first, reeled off 53 over the next two, then capitulated with 17 in the fourth.

“We’re ready to start putting more consistency into our play,” Schueller vowed, after it took a career high eight three-pointers from Tassie superstar Milton Doyle to put his Bullets away in hostile territory.

It took a Milton Doyle heater to bury the Bullets on Friday night. Picture: Getty Images

It doesn’t get any easier for the Bullets, with a healthy Bryce Cotton in the house on Sunday. Picture: Getty Images

“We’ve had this constant part of two-and-a-half, maybe three quarters of good basketball (but) it’s the four quarters that we’ve got to get to.

“There’s plenty of talent in this group that can get it done.”

Despite the potential for forwards Casey Prather (hip flexor) and Deng Adel (groin) to miss after each picked up niggles against the JackJumpers, Schueller’s embracing the pursuit of equilibrium on a quick turnaround, with the Wildcats tip-off less than 48 hours after the Tassie disappointment.

Once they get through Sunday, Aussie Bullets Rocco Zikarsky, Mitch Norton and Josh Bannan will represent the Boomers during the FIBA window, while Kiwi Tyrell Harrison will play for New Zealand.

“We want to be a club where we can help guys continue to get those (international) opportunities and progress forward,” Schueller said.

Originally published as Quest for consistency: Positive moves off the court in Brisbane have Bullets eyeing on-court success