Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Cairns have taken advantage of a butter-fingered display by Brisbane, strolling to a 107-85 victory and consolidating fourth position on the NBL ladder.
Jack McVeigh (23 points), Reyne Smith (20), Jaylon Brown (19) and Malique Lewis (16) all fired for the Taipans at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Thursday night.
Taine Murray poured in 20 off the bench for the Bullets, who crashed from fifth to ninth after carelessly conceding a staggering 25 turnovers.
Adding to their woes, wing Max Mackinnon hit his head on the floor as he slipped early in the third quarter and was unable to continue.
Brisbane jumped ahead 17-9 and dominated the boards 17-6 in the opening term, but that’s when the turnover epidemic started, allowing Cairns to sneak ahead 23-21 at quarter-time.
The Bullets continued to cough up the ball and they were barely hanging in, down 43-38, when McVeigh spearheaded an 11-0 run to give the Taipans total control.
Brisbane tossed away a whopping 14 first-half turnovers, before Cairns extended their lead to 67-45 midway through the third term.
Bullets forward Lat Mayen tried to inspire his side with a sensational dunk, throwing it down with two hands over both Keanu Pinder and Kyrin Galloway, but the Snakes still held sway 78-61 at three-quarter time.
Brisbane cut the gap to 81-70 before Lewis and Smith steadied the visitors.
Third-generation Bullet Rio Burton made his NBL debut, subbing in late and scoring his maiden bucket.
The 19-year-old is the son of CJ Bruton, who was a key member of Brisbane’s 2007 championship, and the grandson of Cal Bruton, who played in Brisbane’s first-ever NBL game in 1979 and starred in their 1985 title.
