Basketball On The Internet.

THE talk in Brisbane last night was that new imports Terry Taylor and Javon Freeman-Liberty would miss the NBL clash with South East, and not about how the Phoenix would fare without Malique Lewis and Hunter Maldonado. So Jordan Hunter stepped in with a statement of his own.

An improved and improving 3-point shooter, the 209cm Hunter knocked down 4-of-5 in a 24-point blitz that helped the Bullets cave after some vague signs of a potential third quarter fightback.

After Hunter's main opponent Tyrell Harrison brought Brisbane to 7-9, South East Melbourne peeled off the next eight points, Owen Foxwell, Akech Aliir and Wes Iwundu all involved.

From 17-7, Hunter blew the margin further out to 23-9 with his first triple of the evening and the Phoenix were never going to be caught.

Ahead 27-19 after one, then going 29-21 in the second for 56-40 halftime lead, South East had established its formula for victory, Brisbane heavily reliant on Harrison and Mitch Norton for anything of consequence.

Jacob Holt worked hard for his 11 points and nine boards but the Bullets' terminal offensive systems - one guy dribbles down, guns a shot, or one-pass and a shot, ad nauseum - meant any realistic shot at a genuine challenge was always built on a very shakey foundation.

Once the Bullets lost Lamar Patterson to a hamstring injury - is this the last time we see him on an NBL court? - this was over, the Phoenix's 29-15 final quarter reflective of the solo adventuring which hampered any Bullets chances.

Round 10

Adelaide 36ers 97 (Cotton 31, Humphries 22, Cheatham 12, Cameron 11; Humphries 9 rebs; Cotton 13 assts) d Illawarra Hawks 85 (Harvey 21, Peterson 19, Hickey, McGee 12; McGee 10 rebs; Hickey 7 assts) at Brett Maher Court, Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Crowd: 9,964 Q-Q: 21-22, 23-27, 27-15, 26-21. Ignite Cup Pts: Adelaide 5, Illawarra 2

South East Melbourne Phoenix 103 (Hunter 24, Iwundu, Sobey 13, Glover, Foxwell 11; Hunter 9 rebs; Sobey 6 assts) d Brisbane Bullets 76 (Harrison 16, Mathias, Norton 12, Holt 11, Ducas 10; Holt 9 rebs; Harrison, Norton 4 assts) at the Bullethole, Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Crowd: 3,429