'Stud' Casey Prather's 34 drives Bullets on road

• Casey Prather drops 34 as Bullets silence Perth crowd as Brisbane stun Wildcats behind Prather-Harrison masterclass
• Stu Lash’s Bullets break through with statement win in Perth to move to 2-4 in NBL26
• 'Flushed': Bullets head coach Stu Lash taking his lashes in first year

"Stud" Casey Prather and "due" Tyrell Harrison combined for 61 points as the Brisbane Bullets went into RAC Arena to deliver a backs-to-the-wall 110-93 near wire-to-wire road win against the Perth Wildcats in Round 5 of NBL26.

Prather dropped 34 on 11-from-18 from the field and captain Harrison 27 on 13-from-18 from the field. The Bullets are now 2-4 and Perth 3-2.

"Casey’s a stud — he knows that," head coach Stu Lash said with Prather sitting by his side at the post game press conference.

"We all know it. The thing that’s most impressive about what he did tonight is the efficiency.

"To get 34 points, go 11-for-18 from the field, grab 10 rebounds, three assists, and finish +28 — that’s big-time.

"He’s a leader for us on and off the court. He’s done amazing things in this league and we’re really happy he’s part of our group.

"Tyler was due. The last two games maybe not the best whistle, hard time finding a rhythm.

"So we came in tonight — we talked about the offensive rebounds, the ball movement — but we were also focused on a big-boy game from him.

"We wanted to establish that presence early. (Jo Lual-Acuil Jr)'s a tremendous player, big matchup, but we had a focus from the very start to get Tyrell going, play inside-out, and he was phenomenal."

It's the first time Lash has been accompanied by a Bullets player at his post game press conference this season.

The Bullets second win of NBL26 comes on the back of import guard Javon Freeman-Liberty's departure, guard Sam McDaniel's injury, veteran Mitch Norton's injury as well as rookie bigman Jacob Holt.

"It’s massive," Prather said.

"Especially for some of the young guys just getting into the league.

"I’ve been part of teams that started slow but ended up winning championships. It’s not about where we start — it’s about the journey and how we get there.

"These guys are embracing every challenge. Anytime you get a good road win, it always boosts morale."

Former NBL MVP Jaylen Adams came off the bench for the Bullets — Lash said: "Jay’s a professional. He understands why the decision was made. We move on." — while Tristian Devers contributed 15 points, Alex Ducas 14 points, and Taine Murray 12.

"Those young guys — Dukes, Devers, Murray — they’re some of the most confident I’ve been around," Prather said.

"They put the work in. As a vet, seeing that, you know it’s only a matter of time before shots start falling.

"The biggest thing for us was trust — trusting each other, trusting the ball movement, trusting our actions.

"Anytime we have 25 assists, that’s a good indicator we’ll win. I’m excited for those guys; they should enjoy this moment and build on it."

The Bullets kept the Wildcats at arms length for most of the contest, led after all three quarters and by as many as 23 points.

"Great win. I’m just really happy for the players, the staff, the organisation," Lash said.

"We’re really confident in what we’re doing day-to-day right now, and to come out to Perth — we know that’s not an easy place to win games — so we’ll enjoy this one tonight. Short turnaround for Friday night against (Melbourne United).

"We’ve been playing good basketball all season other than probably that first quarter against Illawarra where it got away from us quick. A lot of close games.

"The two big focuses for us coming in tonight were to keep them off the offensive boards — number one offensive rebounding team in the league — and we hold them to seven. That’s a great number.

"We also talked about our ball movement and trust on offense — just had to be a little bit better — and we come out of there with 25 assists on 41 made field goals.

"That was top of mind for us. Just play the right way, move the ball, play with great effort, which outside of a small part of that Illawarra game, our effort’s been great from the very first game this year."

Key Details

• Result: Brisbane Bullets 110 def. Perth Wildcats 93
• When: 15th October 2025
• Where: RAC Arena, Perth
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Casey Prather (Brisbane Bullets) starred with 34 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and one block in 32 minutes.
• Mason Jones (Perth Wildcats) scored 19 points and had three assists in 23 minutes.

What Happened

Brisbane established their dominance early, taking a 26-21 lead after the first quarter and extending it to 56-48 by halftime. The Bullets maintained control throughout the second half, outscoring Perth 24-23 in the third quarter before putting the game away with a 30-22 advantage in the final period.

The Bullets' inside presence proved overwhelming, with Tyrell Harrison delivering an exceptional performance. The Brisbane captain recorded 27 points on an outstanding 13-from-18 shooting from the field, while collecting 15 rebounds including eight on the offensive glass. His interior dominance gave the Bullets crucial second-chance opportunities throughout the contest.

Prather's 34-point explosion for Brisbane came on efficient 11-from-18 shooting, including 3-from-5 from beyond the arc and perfect 9-from-9 from the free-throw line. The forward added 10 rebounds for a double-double that spearheaded the Bullets' attack. Alex Ducas contributed 14 points, including four triples, while showcasing his defensive prowess with four steals.

Perth's Jo Lual-Acuil Jr put up a valiant effort with 18 points and three blocks, while Mason Jones added 19 points including three triples. However, the Wildcats struggled from distance, shooting just 29.4% (10-from-34) from three-point range compared to Brisbane's stellar 46.2% (12-from-26).

The rebounding battle heavily favoured Brisbane, who dominated the glass 46-32. This advantage, coupled with their superior shooting (54% to Perth's 44.4% from the field), proved decisive as the Bullets secured an impressive road victory to strengthen their position in the NBL standings.