Gliddon inspires Bullets
THE Brisbane Bullets opened the NBL season with a Cam Gliddon-inspired 86-73 upset of the New Zealand Breakers in Auckland last night.
Former Cairns Taipans captain Gliddon shook off the effects of back surgery in the off-season to post a game-high 29 points as the visitors took control in the second half.
Both teams were fielding massively changed rosters from last season but it was the Bullets who synchronised fastest, making less mistakes, out-rebounding the undersized hosts and landing nearly half of their 27 three-point shots.
The Bullets, seeking to avoid a third successive wooden spoon, showed they will be no easybeats this season.
Boomers shooting guard Gliddon is a key signing, along with American small forward Alonzo Gee and former NBA big man Cam Bairstow.
Gee came alive with 10 of his 13 points in the second half, along with three offensive rebounds, helping his team go on an 18-0 run during a six-minute purple patch to take control.
Former Chicago Bull Bairstow also impressed as the game wore on, finishing with 14 points in a fine return from ongoing injury problems.
The Breakers weren’t their usual force on the boards and missed the presence of veteran forward Mika Vukona, who instead shone for the Bullets.
It was a disappointing outcome for the four-time champion Kiwi outfit, who impressed in a five-point loss to the Phoenix Suns in the US last week and have been rated possible title candidates.
Guard Corey Webster scored 23 points in a disjointed offensive display while American centre Shawn Long showed glimmers of power under the hoop.
In last night’s other game, the Perth Wildcats survived a massive second-half scare to kickstart their NBL campaign with a 99-91 victory over the Adelaide 36ers.
After a chequered first half, the Sixers appeared to have the momentum when it mattered before reigning league MVP Bryce Cotton (22 points) — well held for the first three terms — rattled off 14 fourthquarter points including eight unanswered in the space of a minute.
Fellow import Terrico White impressed with 20 points in an athletic NBL debut while off-season recruit Nick Kay had 18 points and eight rebounds at Adelaide’s Titanium Security Arena.
New captain Daniel Johnson (23 points, 10 boards) single-handedly kept the 36ers alive early.