Bullets Shock Another Playoff Contending Team in OT

Eight days ago the Brisbane Bullets were humiliated at Nissan Arena. Now for the second time in four days, they've shocked a playoff contender with Thursday night's 106-101 overtime win against the Adelaide 36ers.

The Bullets slumped to a fourth straight loss with last Wednesday's 49-point hammering at home to the Sydney Kings. But often how you respond in tough situations is the biggest test in character and this Brisbane team has earned a big tick.

Brisbane delivered an improved showing on Saturday against Melbourne United, beat South East Melbourne Phoenix on the road on Monday, and in the end got a richly deserved overtime win against the Sixers in front of 3953 loyal fans at Nissan Arena.

It's consecutive wins now for the Bullets with Jason Cadee setting the tone with 14 first quarter points before Tyler Johnson took over in the second half on his way to 27.

He was almost the hero in regulation too with a pretty go-ahead jumper, but Antonius Cleveland forced the game into overtime for an Adelaide team who had their playoff hopes hanging by a thread.

In the extra period, it ultimately was five straight points from Cadee, and the clinching free-throws from Johnson that secured Brisbane's five-point win.

The Bullets are now 7-17 but for the 36ers, it could be a season ending loss. They have now lost four in-a-row and are 11-13 needing to win their last four, and even that might now not be enough.

Johnson finished with 27 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals for Brisbane with Cadee contributing 22 points. DJ Mitchell also had 17 points and four rebounds, Aron Baynes 16 points and 11 boards, and Nathan Sobey nine points and six assists.

Bullets coach Greg Vanderjagt continues to be proud of the way his group has responded to last week's loss to Sydney with three strong showings since.

"It shows where we're at in terms of there's a lot of basketball to be played in the season," Vanderjagt said.

"The group wants to compete and wants to play for each other, they want to play for the Bullets fans who keep turning out every single week. I think our leaders tonight were outstanding and that's where it starts. 

"We've obviously been on a rollercoaster this year but I think our leadership tonight was really, really good. I’m really happy for the group to string a couple together, but it's the way we've done it on the back of our defence which has been most pleasing."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jason Cadee has been ????????? in this one, and he could have just sealed the deal ? <a href="https://t.co/0FnBbqFDfy">pic.twitter.com/0FnBbqFDfy</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1616025818840567809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Anthony Drmic made 5/10 from downtown on his way to 20 points for Adelaide. Antonius Cleveland added 18 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, and Robert Franks 17 points and six boards against his former team.

Daniel Johnson contributed 13 points and five rebounds, Hyrum Harris 10 points and seven boards, and Kai Sotto nine points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

Sixers coach CJ Bruton again just lamented his team's inability to play well for a full 40 minutes.

"We've been Jekyll and Hyde all season," Bruton said. 

"Clearly we had our patches again tonight where we looked really good and moved the ball, and like every game there's some breakdowns from each individual and as a team. 

"I was proud of our fightback but again it doesn’t change the result that we had."

Brisbane were fresh off that win on Monday night in Melbourne where Jason Cadee had a season-best 28 points. He kept that momentum going too for the Bullets on his way to a 14-point opening term.

Cadee went 6/8 for the quarter and despite three-pointers to Adelaide from Daniel Johnson and Anthony Drmic, the Bullets were in control 27-20 at quarter-time.

Long bombs to start the second quarter from Tyler Johnson and DJ Mitchell pushed Brisbane's lead out to 11, and that's where it remained for most of the rest of the half.

Brisbane still led 47-38 by half-time shooting 47 per cent from the field opposed to Adelaide 37.

Adelaide's season could have slipped away totally if they didn’t come out to start the third quarter strong, and that's exactly what they did. While it was Robert Franks and Drmic combining for them to score their first 10 points, Antonius Cleveland was the difference maker.

When he scored himself, suddenly the 36ers started the half on a 12-2 run and grabbed the lead.

Brisbane showed some heart again to respond with a couple of buckets to Aron Baynes and a three ball to Mitchell.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Anthony Drmic with the composure at the rim ?<br><br>Follow the action live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel. <a href="https://t.co/3ALe4TWBtV">pic.twitter.com/3ALe4TWBtV</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1616015716171546624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

However, Adelaide just had too much to play for and Cleveland sparked a 16-6 run to claim the lead once more to appear to have the momentum.

It wasn’t to be. The Bullets closed the quarter scoring the final seven points including a late triple from Johnson to go into three quarter-time leading 73-70.

Brisbane held firm still leading by six with six minutes to play but the 36ers scored the next five points with a three-point play to Hyrum Harris and bucket to Franks to make it a one-point ball game.

By the time Drmic hit his fourth three of the game with 1:45 to play, scores were all square. A nice Tyler Johnson floater regained the Bullets lead, though, with 31 seconds to go.

The Bullets appeared to get a stop up the other end although the video review reversed the decision. On the back of that, Franks took advantage to hit a mid-range jumper to tie scores up again.

Up the other end, Johnson knock down the massive jumper but Adelaide still had one last chance. Cleveland was fouled going to the rack. He had hit 1/5 up to that point but he knocked both down and the game was going to overtime.

Things remained tight through the extra period until Cadee returned to the floor for Brisbane. He showed his class and experience with two trips to the foul line and another bucket.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">TYLER JOHNSONNNNN ?<br><br>Have we just seen the game-winner? <br><br>Catch the final possession live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel. <a href="https://t.co/8kRNiF2HqQ">pic.twitter.com/8kRNiF2HqQ</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1616021382856593410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Johnson did miss two free-throws to leave the door slightly ajar for the 36ers when Drmic hit another three, but he made his next two at the stripe and Brisbane won a fourth home game of NBL23.

Both teams back up to play on Saturday again with the Bullets to take on the Illawarra Hawks in Wollongong before the Sixers are at home to Melbourne United in a potentially season-defining match up.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 16

BRISBANE BULLETS 106 (Johnson 27, Cadee 22, Mitchell 17)

ADELAIDE 36ERS 101 (Drmic 20, Cleveland 18, Franks 17) 

BOX SCORE