THE Brisbane Bullets ruffled plenty of feathers in Wollongong on Saturday afternoon, dismantling the Illawarra Hawks 98-81 to deliver an emphatic response to their disappointing defeat against Tasmania.
Coming off a 106–85 loss to the JackJumpers, Brisbane rediscovered its attacking rhythm and dominated the battle under the basket at WIN Entertainment Centre, with six players reaching double figures in a convincing 17-point victory.
Nate Hinton spearheaded the Bullets’ resurgence with a game-high 21 points, six assists and three steals, in an impressive all-round performance.
But it was Brisbane’s collective dominance that proved decisive, with the visitors crushing Illawarra 53-31 on the boards and shooting an efficient 50 per cent from the field compared with the Hawks’ 39.7 per cent.
Hinton received plenty of support from Max Mackinnon, who contributed 14 points and seven rebounds, while towering centre Tyrell Harrison returned delivered another strong performance with 14 points and eight rebounds.
Brazilian playmaker Raul Neto provided valuable composure with 11 points and four assists, as Brisbane’s bench also made its presence felt, with Archie Woodhill and Lat Mayen contributing 10 points apiece.
The Bullets’ dominance on the glass was especially telling, securing 18 offensive rebounds and generating valuable second-chance opportunities.
The Bullets now host the Cairns Taipans at Brisbane Entertainment Centre tonight with tip-off for 7pm.
