AUS - Road Warriors with a Bullet

AUSTRALIA (NBL) - The Brisbane Bullets (8-3) have claimed top position in the National Basketball League (NBL) with three remarkable road victories in four days, with triumphs on both sides of the huge Australian continent.

Having been labeled mercenaries last season after a much publicised recruiting effort, the Bullets were knocked out in the first elimination final. Coach Joey Wright again retooled, adding ultra efficient import Dusty Rychart and three FIBA World Championship representatives - CJ Bruton (Australia), Ebi Ere (Nigeria) and Dillon Boucher (New Zealand).

The Bullets focus was to introduce more toughness to the lineup, and that appears to have worked, with the Bullets coming from behind on all three occasions.

Each recruit impressed across Round 7, but it was Bruton who delivered when it mattered. The Australian point guard tallied 15 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds against Perth (8-3) on Wednesday. None were more important than his driving three-point play with 6.5 seconds left on the clock to secure the win. The 100-99 result, after leading by 16 at three quarter time, saw Brisbane claim top spot from the Wildcats and silenced the standing room only crowd.

Two nights later, and 3432 kilometers away in Melbourne, Bruton was again at his best as Brisbane defeated the South Dragons (3-7) 111-95 in a fiery encounter. Bruton racked up 24 points 5 rebounds and 4 assists, a performance that included several spectacular individual moves that brought even the partisan Dragon fans out of their seats.

Sam Mackinnon, another star for Australia at the recent FIBA World Championships, continued his incredible year, racking up 15 points for the first quarter before finishing with 19 points.

Mackinnon has long been considered one of the leagues stars, but has taken his game to another level since his strong showing in Japan. While 'Sudden Sam' has shown an ability to score at will this season, the 30 year-old insists it is his all-around game that is most important to him and the Bullets.

"I like to do a little bit of everything," Mackinnon said. "I am more than happy if I score 12 or 14 points and the team wins. I like setting up other guys to score and doing the team things."

Mackinnon is certainly living up to his word, contributing 25 rebounds, 8 assists, 6 blocks and 7 steals for the round. His total would have been even more impressive had he and South Dragons playing-coach Shane Heal not been ejected for fighting during an intense 'all-in' brawl early in the last quarter. Both players were later fined for their part in the spiteful encounter.

The Bullets were not content with just two victories from their road-trip, however, with coach Wright resting key players for long stretches Friday night, and his strategy was to prove crucial on Saturday.

Brisbane faced the reigning champion Melbourne Tigers (6-4), and the two teams provided the near sell-out crowd with an NBL classic. The Tigers led by as much as 12 points in regular time, but behind the shooting Ere (24 points) and former Australian junior star Stephen Black (24 points), the Bullets closed to 96-96 and sent the game to overtime.

After the Bullets trailed by 7 with 1:20 remaining in the first overtime, two calm CJ Bruton free throws in the face of the deafening crowd tied the game at 108-108, and the league had its first double overtime game in almost two years.

With the clock running down in the second overtime and scores level, it was Bruton again who was the star, nailing an acrobatic driving lay-up before blocking Darryl Macdonald's (20 points, 5 assists) game tying attempt.

The Tigers had one last chance to force triple overtime but Chris Anstey's long jump shot rimmed out and the Bullets celebrated one of their greatest victories.

Mackinnon was outstanding once again, contributing in almost every aspect of the game, and nailing several key jump shots on his way to 21 points.

Anstey led the Tigers with 29 points and 9 boards, but shot just 10/27 in the Bullets game and 4/14 in Melbourne's 118-97 loss to the New Zealand Breakers (4-5) on Thursday. New Zealand national team guard Aaron Olson continued his resurgence after a slow start to the season, registering 21 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.

Anstey, the 2003 ULEB Cup MVP, has struggled somewhat to start the season after a knee injury suffered in the lead-up to the FIBA World Championships. Tigers coach Al Westover believes it is just a matter of time before fans see the sharp shooting big man at his best.

"Chris still hasn't found form and probably the lack of a solid pre-season has affected him," Westover said. "There has just been one thing after another and he hasn't really got into a groove.

"It has probably affected his confidence and all that, but I don't think he is far away."

Other standout performances in round 7 came from some familiar faces. Cairns (6-3) forward Martin Cattalini amassed 35 points on 57% shooting in Cairns 98-90 win over the pesky Singapore Slingers (3-8). 'The Cat' continues to lead the league in scoring with 28.2 ppg.

Australian Olympian Glen Saville stepped up to cover for injured import Cortez Groves. The athletic small forward tallied 32 points, 11 assists and 7 rebounds on 69% shooting from the point guard position as his Wollongong Hawks (5-4) defeated the Townsville Crocodiles (5-7) 113-107.

Perth import Shawn Redhage (30 points, 15 assists, 11 rebounds) collected a triple double as the Wildcats defeated the West Sydney Razorbacks 119-107 in overtime. In a remarkable encounter, the Razorbacks recovered from a 29 point deficit in the third quarter, as James Harvey scored 20 of his 34 points in the second half.

A Harvey jumper with 1.7 seconds remaining gave West Sydney an unlikely two point lead but Perth import Darren Brooks (18 points, 6 rebounds) answered as time expired to send the game into overtime.

The Wildcats had too much petrol in the extra period and ran out victors to the relief and delight of Perth coach Scott Fisher.

"It's the greatest show on Earth, isn't it? Why would you not come to a Perth Wildcats game?" Fisher exclaimed.

"I was certainly worried when we only had a second to get a shot off," Fisher said. "I knew in overtime the momentum was back with us."

"It's a great lesson to learn. Thank goodness we still got the W."

With the Razorbacks (2-6) now left lagging at the bottom of the NBL after several heartbreaking losses, star shooting guard Harvey was left to rue what might have been.

"Any time you are two points up with a second to go and a foul to give you should win that game, so that's the disappointing thing for us," Harvey said.

"We put ourselves in a position where not only we could have won but should have won, and didn't, so that's why it's hurting.

"That's gut-wrenching to lose like that."

Round 7 is another exciting prospect for Australian basketball fans with the Bullets and Tigers meeting again in Melbourne, while the 4th placed Sydney Kings (7-4) travel to Perth for another top of the table encounter.

Paul Kennedy
FIBA Official Correspondent in Australia.