IN one of the early statement performances for the 2023/24 fixture of the National Basketball League (NBL), the Brisbane Bullets defeated the New Zealand Breakers to the tune of four points to kick off Round 2 in style.

The Bullets headed across the Tasman to enemy territory at Spark Arena in the first game of the week, looking to keep their momentum rolling after a Round 1 victory over the Adelaide 36ers. There were questions raised surrounding where that result placed the Bullets, who finished at the top of the standings at the end of the round, but did so against one of the less competitive sides. On the other hand, New Zealand got the better of the Cairns Taipans in Round 1, and continued to shape as a championship contender.

However, the Breakers were handed a serious task, despite having home court advantage. Brisbane felt like the stronger side in the first half, and although it was unable to break away and lead by double-digits at any stage, had done a good job at containing the Breakers on the offensive end, and continuously put the opposition in foul trouble. As good sides do, New Zealand fought back late to make things extremely interesting in the dying stages, but a miraculous deep two-pointer from import Chris Smith banked in to seal Brisbane’s impressive road win.

The result would not have been possible if not for the performance of veteran guard Nathan Sobey, who was excellent in leading his side offensively across all four quarters.

New Zealand Breakers (85) def. by Brisbane Bullets (89)

Nathan Sobey – 24 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three steals

The Bullets had been looking to make a statement that reflected the positive signs the team was showing throughout the start of the season, and Sobey was a driving force in ensuring that occurred on Thursday evening.

The veteran guard was at his brilliant best on the scoring front, posting a game-high 24 points on 9/18 shooting from the field. Six of those points came in the decisive fourth quarter, helping Brisbane stave off a New Zealand side that could have run over the top of it.

He had a vital moment on the eve of half time, throwing down an impressive dunk to give his side a four-point buffer heading into the main break. Given New Zealand had stormed back into the match prior to that, Sobey’s ability to give the Bullets a bit of breathing space was integral.

By the end of the match, the former Boomers representative was moving closer to a double-double, pulling down eight rebounds for the match. Despite being undersized against some of the other contributors in this domain, Sobey used his smarts to chased down loose balls and initiate the offence for Brisbane.

He was also a crucial playmaker for the Bullets in the win, acting as the general on the offensive end and making the right play more often than not. He finished the match with five assists, ensuring the team took the best possible shot despite being on fire himself.

It was an extremely important win for the Bullets, who are looking to return to the finals for the first time since 2019, and it was a result that would not have culminated if not for the performance of the team’s veteran guard.