The Brisbane Bullets have claimed the 2006/07 Philips Championship, a 103-94 away victory over the defending titleholder the Melbourne Tigers sealing a three-games-to-one result in the best-of-five Grand Final series.

Brisbane, which had its NBL-record 21-game winning streak stopped by the Tigers at Melbourne's State Netball and Hockey Centre last Sunday, won on the strength of some trademark stifling defence - particularly in the third period - and a couple of shooting hot streaks.

After a seven-point first half, CJ Bruton scored 15 of his game-high 22 points in the final 13 minutes - a three-pointer followed by a three-point play to close the third term before adding nine of the Bullets' 27 final-quarter points.

Dusty Rychart paced the visitors until Bruton took over, all 21 of his points coming before the last stanza (10-of-13 from the field), while Brisbane captain Sam Mackinnon netted 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

After a typically consistent all-round Grand Final series, Mackinnon added the Larry Sengstock Medal to his spoils from a stellar season, which included the Andrew Gaze Trophy as league MVP and the title of Best Defensive Player.

Rashad Tucker (17 points, 12 rebounds) and Darryl McDonald (17 points, four assists) shared the scoring honours for Melbourne. Chris Anstey was relatively quiet, despite a 16-point-11-rebound haul, and Dave Thomas added 14 points and 11 boards.

The Tigers out-rebounded the Bullets 51-35 and out-shot them 47 per cent to 46 (and 43%-38% on threes), but also clearly won the less desirable turnover count 26-14.

The home team started confidently, with Tucker and Anstey combining for the first 12 points, but Rychart kept the Bullets in touch before buckets to Dillon Boucher and Adam Gibson gave the visitors their first lead at 13-12 with 4:22 to play in the first period.

Thomas then fired up with six points as the home side edged back in front, only for Mackinnon to hit an exclamation-point three for a 24-22 quarter-time advantage.

When Mackinnon opened the second term with a basket and then Stephen Black (11 points) hit his first points - a three - the lead was suddenly out to seven, and a couple more Rychart baskets kept Brisbane in front, even after Nathan Crosswell made the first three-pointer for the Tigers five minutes into the quarter.

The Bullets found a variety of ways to score, through Bruton, Boucher, Gibson and Rychart, stretching the lead to eight (41-33), before McDonald sparked a sensational 19-5 Tiger run heading to the main break.

Back-to-back threes to Steve Hoare and Anstey capped the run with the locals up 52-46, but Bruton nailed a crucial late three to halve the deficit as they went to the rooms (52-49).

The Bullets again turned things around with a flying start to the third period, through Rychart and Black, before both teams started to show signs of pressure with tentative play and numerous turnovers.

The lead changed hands five times in the quarter as things turned scrappy, with Melbourne making just six field goals (from 16 attempts), being outscored 27-15, and Bruton's ice-cold triple and three-point play to close the term saw the Bullets turn for home leading 76-67.

Mackinnon ensured the visitors stayed well clear with a trio of early last-term baskets to stretch the advantage to 12 points and, despite three triples from Darryl Corletto and a late Tucker-inspired charge, Bruton, former Tiger stalwart Mark Bradtke and their team-mates stood firm.

Brisbane Bullets 103 (Bruton 22, Rychart 21, Mackinnon 13)
Melbourne Tigers 94 (Tucker 17, McDonald 17, Anstey 16)
@ State Netball Hockey Centre, Melbourne, 9/3/2007. Crowd: 3500