Chris Smith nets winning basket as Brisbane Bullets pip Tasmania JackJumpers
Chris Smith hit a three-pointer with one second on the clock to hand Brisbane victory. Photo: Getty
Chris Smith has hit the game-winning three-pointer for Brisbane to beat the visiting Tasmania JackJumpers despite the absence of star Nathan Sobey.
The Bullets prevailed 80-77 on Wednesday night for a third straight NBL win at a capacity Nissan Arena.
The JackJumpers cut a late eight-point margin, Jordan Crawford’s incredible floater levelling scores with 11 seconds to play.
Smith (19 points) ran down the clock and drilled the winner, improving the Bullets to fifth (10-11), while the JackJumpers (11-10) sit third to further clog up the top-six standings.
“I wasn’t expecting him to hit a three, I’ll be honest, but that’s the trust we have in him,” Bullets coach Justin Schueller said of the game winner.
“‘Sobes’ pulled up sore and it was, ‘All right, at some point we have to learn what it looks like to win without him’.
“For us to really show the progression we’ve had, just so proud. That was a tough game, Tassie were outstanding.”
Jack McVeigh (17 points) missed a long triple that would have sent the game to overtime, despite being open enough to get a shot off without being fouled in the one second that was left on the clock.
“They beat us. We had a lot of self-inflicted wounds, but they deserved to win,” JackJumpers coach Scott Roth said.
“With or without Sobey, doesn’t matter – the league’s too good, too many good players.
“It’s a big bunch of teams just beating the hell out of each other at the end of the day.”
Tokyo Olympian Sobey had scored 27 and 35 points in the side’s past two games, both victories that have propelled the Bullets back into the conversation as legitimate threats this season.
But he was a late scratching because of a foot injury picked up on Sunday against Sydney Kings.
Schueller is confident Sobey will be fit to face Illawarra this Sunday.
The visitors whittled an eight-point margin back to one inside the final 90 seconds, Josh Bannan’s reverse lay-up releasing some pressure from a team that has struggled to close out contests this season.
Milton Doyle levelled proceedings with a long bomb but then tossed the ball away on the next possession, with Bannan scoring the easy bucket to restore a two-point margin with 20 seconds on the clock.
Crawford then floated in an incredible left-hander, higher than the backboard, to again level the scores.
Smith had the final say, winding down the clock before stepping to his right and nailing the three-pointer with just one second left on the game clock.
Casey Prather’s minutes should also be extended as he comes back from a long-term injury, the three-time champion restricted to less than eight on Wednesday.
