Breakers Slay Pigs
Tagged in: NZ Breakers
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Hayden Wood, Sportal
The Harvey Norman NZ Breakers have defeated the West Sydney Razorbacks 109-95 in the all important Hummer NBL Championship match in the playoff race at the North Shore Events Centre.
The Breakers led at every change, and were never seriously threatened by a disappointing Razorbacks outfit.
Phill Jones top scored for the Breakers with 22 points, while Kirk Penney and Derrick Alston chipped in with 21 points apiece.
Darnell Hinson (26 points) played a lone hand for the Razorbacks, with Rhys Carter (16 points) and Julian Khazzouh (12 points) providing him the most support.
The first quarter saw the Breakers jump out to a 5-0 start, thanks largely to Penney who snapped up an offensive board, knocked down a three to opening the scoring and then immediately followed it up with an assist to Orien Greene.
After the up-tempo start neither team could shake the other as the Breakers went into the first break ahead by eight (30-22).
The second quarter got off to sluggish start with the teams exchanging a couple of baskets until an Alston-inspired nine-point run took the Breakers out to a double digit lead (47-31).
Both teams rested some of their starters at various points of the second term, but a big three from Penney at the conclusion of the half gave the Breakers a 17-point advantage at the major break.
The third stanza started with a determined Razorbacks outfit throwing everything at the Breakers but they could only cut the lead to 11, before Penney stepped up and knocked down another three to get the Breakers going.
The Razorbacks kept fighting until Jones scored back-to-back buckets to repel the attack once again and restore the Breakers buffer to 16 at 75-59.
On the back of some hot shooting from Jones, the Breakers managed to extend their lead to 19 points (86-67) at three-quarter time.
Jones and Penney both had hot hands during the last quarter, while Mika Vukona and Alston dominated the boards, and didn’t allow the visitors any second chance points as the Breakers sealed the game.
The Breakers (13-12) host the Perth Wildcats on Thursday night, while the Razorbacks (10-16) will be at home to the Townsville Crocodiles on the same night.
Harvey Norman NZ Breakers 109 (Jones 22, Alston 21, Penney 21) West Sydney Razorbacks 95 (Hinson 26, Carter 16, Khazzouh 12)
