Bullets Blast Past Taipans in Sunshine Stoush

The Brisbane Bullets found their offensive rhythm and then some, lighting up the Brisbane Entertainment Centre with a 113–85 demolition of the Cairns Taipans in Thursday night’s Sunshine Stoush.

It was a must-win clash for both Queensland sides, but Brisbane’s balance, depth, and tempo proved decisive. The Bullets dominated on both ends, shooting 55 per cent from the field, draining 13 threes, and finishing with seven players scoring at least eight points.

Tyrell Harrison and Casey Prather led the way inside with matching 21-point outings. Harrison added eight rebounds and two blocks, while Prather delivered a polished all-around performance with 10 boards, three assists and two steals.

Jaylen Adams found his rhythm with 20 points and seven assists, Taine Murray added 16 on 6-of-8 shooting, and Alex Ducas hit timely triples for 13 points. New import Dakota Mathias also chipped in 11 as Brisbane improved to 4–6 on the season.

The Taipans, now mired in a seven-game losing streak, finally showed flashes of offensive flow. They tallied 30 assists on 32 made shots — a stark improvement — but still couldn’t contain Brisbane’s relentless scoring. Jack McVeigh’s return was a bright spot with 23 points, six assists and five rebounds, while Kyrin Galloway added 12 points and Andrew Andrews posted a double-double of 11 points and 10 assists.

Cairns started brightly, trading blows early and even leading 27–25 after the first quarter. But the Bullets broke the game open before halftime with a 10–0 run to lead 57–47 at the break. From there, Brisbane tightened its defence and stretched the margin behind crisp ball movement and second-chance points.

By the fourth quarter, the hosts were in full control. A Tyrell Harrison post score followed by a Casey Prather steal and slam sent the crowd into a frenzy as the Bullets pushed the lead past 20 — and never looked back.

The win gives Brisbane back-to-back home victories and a timely injection of confidence ahead of a Saturday showdown with the Sydney Kings. Cairns, now 2–8, face a daunting task when they meet the Tasmania JackJumpers in Launceston.

Final score: Brisbane Bullets 113 defeated Cairns Taipans 85.