The Brisbane Bullets have revealed some backbone to deliver Andrej Lemanis a win in his 350th game as an NBL coach.
Slammed in recent times for their shoddy defence, the Bullets rediscovered some spirit to sink the Perth Wildcats 87-78 at Brisbane's Nissan Arena.
The win levelled their season at three wins from six games but more importantly it was the manner of the victory that would have most pleased Lemanis.
Under-fire import Taylor Braun (12 points, four rebounds) produced his best game for Brisbane, while his teammates finally finished on the winning end on the glass, 42-38 against one of the strongest rebounding teams in the league.
Guard Jason Cadee played a huge role off the bench, landing five three-pointers in his 17 points.
Wildcats guard Terrico White had a big second half to finish with 23 but he was unable to haul his teammates to a sixth win for the season.
Brisbane veteran Mika Vukona, the benchmark for toughness, revelled in a rare starting appearance with a basket and a prowling presence under the rim.
The Wildcats had to earn their points and they were kept to just 16 in the first quarter.
One by one the Bullets followed Vukona's lead.
The Wildcats' Boomers forward Nick Kay, while still a handful, had the determined bodies of Vukona, Will Magnay and Braun stand between him and the glass.
Bryce Cotton was the man the Bullets couldn't lay a hand on.
The point guard was the only player on court who made offence look a breeze.
He shot six from 11 from the field to be the most influential scorer at three-quarter time.
Cotton's influence waned in the final quarter as Lamar Patterson and Cameron Gliddon sank clutch baskets to steer the Bullets home.