MELBOURNE - The Melbourne Tigers uncorked 12 minutes of basketball perfection on Sunday to square up what is becoming an epic Australian National Basketball League (NBL) grand final series against the Brisbane Bullets.
Looking in desperate trouble and trailing 49-40 at halftime, the Tigers produced a stunning thirdquarter to shellshock the Bullets and win game two of the best-of-five series 105-91 at the State Netball Centre.
Centre Chris Anstey was phenomenal with a game-high 31 points, solid even in the first half and bordering on freakish in the second to help his side level the series at 1-1.
Brisbane, who won the first match of the series by three points on Friday night, looked well on the way to opening a 2-0 lead as they dominated a rusty-looking Tigers outfit early.
But as the Bullets prepared to backfill the dirt around the hole they'd spent the first half digging for the defending champions, the Tigers produced a comeback remarkable even by their lofty standards in the past two seasons.
Every pass stuck, every shot dropped, and Anstey went on a personal blocking spree as Melbourne went on a 14-0 run to open the third term.
They opened up a 14-point lead by three-quarter-time as they outscored the Bullets 39-16.
Anstey contributed nine points in the quarter and Rashad Tucker 10 as their side sent the sellout 3500 crowd into raptures with a perfect quarter of basketball.
The Bullets came at the Tigers in the fourth, closing to within five points down the stretch.
But any hopes of a Brisbane win vanished when Ebi Ere bricked two free throws with three minutes remaining, before Dave Thomas nailed a three-pointer at the other end to give the Tigers a buffer they were able to build on by the finish.
The best-of-five series now goes back to Brisbane, with the Bullets to host game three on Wednesday and game four back in Melbourne on Friday night.
If a fifth match is required, the Bullets will host it in Brisbane.
Five Bullets scored in double-figures, led by Sam Mackinnon with 19.
As well as Anstey's herculean efforts, bench guard Daryl Corletto provided some much-needed attacking spark for the Tigers with 18 points.
