Andrews, McVeigh lift Snakes over Bullets

The Brisbane Bullets battled hard with 25 offensive rebounds for 26 extra shots but Jack McVeigh put up 17 second half points and Andrew Andrews slammed the door with two late three-pointers for Sunday's 81-72 Cairns Taipans win.

Bullets coach Darryl McDonald implored his team to fight harder at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Sunday afternoon in their final meeting with their Queensland rivals for NBL26.

Without question, they did that and collected the 25 offensive boards, had just six turnovers and attempted a monstrous 26 extra shots than the Taipans, but in the end the Bullets just couldn’t ball in the hole enough.

Brisbane ended up shooting just 36 per cent from the field and 3/24 from downtown while only getting to the foul line to go 5/11.

Opposed to that, Cairns went 44 per cent from the field with 8/29 from three-point range and 17/20 at the free-throw line.

McVeigh had just five points at half-time but ended the game with 22 with 4/11 from deep along with five rebounds.

Andrews hit his two threes for the game in the last three minutes to shut the door on the way to 12 points with 10 assists and six rebounds with that pair the major difference in the contest as the Snakes improved to 9-22 to officially hand the Bullets the wooden spoon.

The Taipans went on a 9-0 run to take charge in the first quarter and to be on top 24-13 after one largely on the back of shooting 53 per cent to just the 22 from the Bullets.

The 13 offensive rebounds and 12 points from Terry Taylor kept Brisbane in touch by half-time but it was still the Taipans leading 43-36 at the break.

The Bullets shot out of the blocks to start the second half and got back level, but 12 points in the term from Jack McVeigh saw the Taipans still leading by four at three quarter-time before completing the nine-point win.

On top of what Andrews and McVeigh provided the Taipans, Kody Stattmann set them going in the first half on his way to 15 points, four rebounds and three assists with Mojave King finishing with 13 points and 11 boards, and Marcus Lee eight points and nine rebounds.

The Bullets have now lost 11 straight to be consigned to last place, but their effort couldn’t be faulted with the 25 offensive rebounds and 26 extra shots with Terry Taylor returning from suspension with a season-best 25 points with nine rebounds on 12/22 shooting.

Hunter Maldonado also had 13 points and 10 rebounds, Jacob Holt 13 points and 11 boards, and Alex Ducas 11 points and three assists.

Both teams now have two games remaining in their season with the Bullets away to Perth and at home to Sydney while the Taipans host Melbourne United on Thursday and then on the road to New Zealand a week later.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26 – ROUND 20

BRISBANE BULLETS 72 (Taylor 25, Maldonado 13, Holt 13)

CAIRNS TAIPANS 81 (McVeigh 22, Stattmann 15, King 13)

BOX SCORE