In a thrilling NBL contest that went down to the wire, the Brisbane Bullets narrowly held off the Cairns Taipans 107-104 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Friday night. But the Bullets’ hard-fought victory came at a steep price, as star import James Batemon suffered a concerning hamstring injury early in the fourth quarter.
Batemon, who erupted for a 51-point performance against Perth last month, clutched his left hamstring and hobbled off the court just one minute into the final period. The severity of the injury remains unclear, but losing the high-scoring guard for any extended stretch would be a devastating blow to Brisbane’s postseason aspirations.
Prather and Cook Step Up in Batemon’s Absence
With Batemon sidelined, fellow imports Casey Prather and Keandre Cook shouldered the scoring load for the Bullets. Prather poured in a game-high 35 points, while Cook added an impressive 30 of his own. The dynamic duo’s offensive outburst proved just enough to stave off a feisty Taipans squad that refused to go down quietly.
Prather, who also gave the Bullets a scare by briefly exiting with back soreness in the fourth quarter, returned to help close out the win. His toughness and leadership were on full display as Brisbane desperately clung to their slim lead in the waning moments.
Taipans’ Valiant Effort Falls Short
Despite falling to their 13th consecutive defeat, the Taipans showed tremendous heart and nearly pulled off the upset. Americans Rob Edwards and Pedro Bradshaw spearheaded Cairns’ attack, scoring 27 and 22 points respectively. The Snakes’ sizzling outside shooting kept them within striking distance, as they drained a blistering 7-of-9 from beyond the arc in the opening quarter alone.
Cairns had a golden opportunity to force overtime after Brisbane missed three free throws in the final seconds, but Edwards’ last-gasp heave from midcourt fell short as time expired. The Taipans’ gritty performance, though ultimately in vain, should give their fans reason for optimism as they look to snap their prolonged skid.
Bullets Climb to Fifth Place
With the win, the Bullets improved to 8-8 on the season and leapfrogged both South East Melbourne and Tasmania into fifth place on the NBL ladder. But the celebration will be tempered by the uncertainty surrounding Batemon’s hamstring injury. Brisbane’s depth and resilience will be put to the test in the coming weeks as they navigate this latest adversity.
Losing James is tough, but this group has shown incredible heart all year. We’ll rally around each other and keep fighting. That’s the Bullets way.
– Casey Prather
As the NBL season enters its crucial stretch run, the Bullets will need to summon every ounce of that fighting spirit if they hope to make noise in the playoffs. With Batemon’s status up in the air and the competition fiercer than ever, Brisbane’s mettle will be tested like never before. But if Friday’s gutsy triumph is any indication, this team has the fortitude to weather any storm.
