Breakers Continue Push
Tagged in: In The News, NZ Breakers
Marc Hinton, Fairfax
The Burger King NZ Breakers completed their biggest win of the Australian NBL season over the Wollongong Hawks in Auckland last night, and in the process put themselves within two matches of a probable spot in the playoffs.
The New Zealand club laid to rest the bogey of this Hawks side, which had three times come from behind in the final quarter to beat them this season. Not this time, though, as the red-hot Breakers kept their cool and put the defensive squeeze on to ease to an 88-60 victory - their season’s best margin - that will have the rest of the league well and truly sitting up and taking notice.
It’s the fourth straight win for the North Shore-based club as they walk the playoff tightrope with precision. It takes them to 13-13, and drops the fourth-placed Hawks to 13-12 as the race for the post-season quartet goes right to the wire.
The Breakers have two matches remaining now - at home to Gold Coast next Thursday and then at Cairns two nights later - and can surely now taste an unlikely berth in the post-season. If they continue to play like this, it’s a distinct likelihood.
It was not only the first win of the season over the team from the ‘Gong, it also ended a five-game losing streak at the hands of the Hawks in the most emphatic fashion. The Breakers, who only shot 43% for the match, held their opponents to just 35 and kept them to 13 points for three of the four quarters.
Once again, the supreme Kirk Penney and CJ Bruton led the way for the Kiwi club, Penney top-scoring with a game-high 23 points (7/18 FG, 3/7 3PT) and adding four boards, while thief-in-the-night Bruton chipped in with 19 points (6/18 FG, 4/8 3PT), four assists and a mammoth six steals.
The soon-to-retire Tony Ronaldson was the only other double-figure scorer with 10 points and five rebounds, but all 11 Breakers who played registered on the scoresheet, while Dillon Boucher had 12 rebounds and four assists in a typically pugnacious display.
A special mention should also be made of Jeremiah Trueman’s effort off the bench. He didn’t light up the stats sheet (four points, three rebounds, two blocks), but the young Tall Black provided energy, hustle plays and a whole lot of effort.
The Hawks have scrambled well since losing star import Tywain McKee to injury, but last night were simply outplayed by a Breakers outfit that is finally, belatedly, finding its best stuff over the run home. A word, too, on the home team’s defence, which was top drawer - aggressive, in-your-face and sustained through the entire contest.
In fact, coach Andrew Lemanis lauded it as the decisive factor in what turned into a one-sided match.
“Three quarters of 13 was huge, and it was not like we came out and lit up offensively,” he said. “We had 43% from the field, 35 from the three-point line and they shoot more foul shots than us.
“It’s not like we just had one of those nights. It was a standard offensive night for us, but our defence was really pleasing.”
As was the continued aggression and concentration, even when the big lead was built up.
“Previously, we’ve tried to sit on leads a little bit, whereas now we just keep trying to blast through,” said Lemanis of the Breakers’ sudden turnaround. “That’s been a good mental shift for us.”
A 10-point first-quarter burst from Bruton had taken the Breakers out to an early 19-7 lead, but a 6-0 run over the last two-plus minutes saw the visitors close to within six by the end of the opening period. Neither team shot especially well, but Bruton’s three straight trifectas provided the early momentum.
And so it went for the rest of the opening half: the Breakers at times threatening to break the shackles, but the Hawks doing just enough to stay within sniffing distance. The Australians finished the spell eight down, but still seriously in this contest, even if home marksmen Bruton and Penney had both notched a dozen points by the major break.
The Hawks continued to hang around through the early part of the third quarter, but as the Breakers shared the ball beautifully, and Penney, Ronaldson, an on-fire Trueman and Bruton all made easy hoops, suddenly a six-point lead had doubled. When Penney poured in another five quick points the home side had shot out by 18 (58-40) on the back of a 14-2 run.
The lead at one stage hit 21, though again a strong Hawks finish pulled it back to 16 by the end of the third. Plenty, you had to think, but the Breakers had lost from here before this season.
More than once.
But not this time. As soon as Oscar Forman came off the bench to rattle up five quick points, and get the lead back up over 20, this baby was over.
Burger King NZ Breakers 88 (Kirk Penney 23, CJ Bruton 19, Tony Ronaldson 10) Wollongong Hawks 60 (Tim Coenraad 12, Cameron Tragardh 12).
