Bullets on target

BRISBANE Bullets beat defending NBL champions Melbourne United for the second time in three days with a 90-74 win last night.

After coming back from a 17-point deficit to beat United in Brisbane on Saturday, the Bullets repeated the dose to stun the home fans at Melbourne Arena.

Looking to bounce back from the 97-94 Saturday loss, Melbourne recovered from a slow start to lead by 13 points approaching half-time.

But Brisbane closed the second quarter on a 10-2 run then held United to eight points in the third quarter to set up the impressive away win.

Cam Gliddon and Lamar Patterson each scored 17 points as the Bullets notched their third straight victory to improve their win-loss record to 7-6 for the season.

Melbourne’s offence stalled in the second half giving them 38 per cent shooting for the game, including 6-of-28 from long range.

Casper Ware led all scorers with 22 points and Alex Pledger finished with 13 points and seven rebounds in his 250th NBL appearance.

The visitors made a strong start with Reuben Te Rangi’s triple building a nine- point lead midway through the first quarter.

But Pledger came off the bench to spark the home side as they reeled off 13 unanswered, Ware’s buzzer-beating shot from well beyond the three-point line extending their lead 24-17.

Melbourne kept rolling in the second quarter as they moved ahead 45-32 but the Bullets closed the half down by five thanks to a late 10-2 run, Te Rangi matching Ware’s first-quarter finish with a last-second threepointer.