Import Milton Doyle has evoked comparisons to legendary Leroy Loggins while helping the Tasmania JackJumpers steamroll the Brisbane Bullets 99-84 at Nissan Arena.
Sunday's contest was in the balance with the Bullets up 80-78 midway through the fourth quarter before Doyle (33 points, nine rebounds) assumed total control, piloting a 14-0 burst amid an overall 21-4 run to blow the final margin out.
His brilliance earned high praise from NBL legend and ESPN television commentator Andrew Gaze, who gushed "he (Doyle) has got a little bit of Leroy Loggins about him".
Nathan Sobey (20 points) did his best to cajole the hosts, whose fourth-quarter capitulation didn't truly reflect how evenly fought the majority of the match was.
With twin towers Aron Baynes (back) and Tyrell Harrison (knee) missing through injury, athletic centre Gorjok Gak (14 points, nine boards) stepped up with three early dunks while sixth man Tyler Johnson (17 points) attacked off the bench to put the Bullets in front 27-24 at quarter-time.
The JackJumpers trailed by 11 points early before Doyle sparked their second-quarter surge.
Doyle and DJ Mitchell (16 points) repeatedly exchanged buckets as the lead changed hands seven times in the last two minutes of a high-octane, attack-orientated opening half, at the end of which scores were fitting tied, at 54-all.
The third term was a more physical, defensive affair, with Sobey elevating his game, pumping up the fans and providing baskets when needed, just as Tasmania threatened to assert themselves.
Jason Cadee shook off an ankle scare early in the fourth period as neither side could gain an edge before Doyle seized control of the game.
He lobbed two alley-oops to Will Magnay, finished brilliantly when driving in traffic, and drained a long-range three-pointer to leave Brisbane shell-shocked.
