JTB/Breakers Go Top
Tagged in: CBL, Competitions
The Junior Tall Black/Breakers ensured the Western Bay Suns time atop the Conference Basketball League (CBL) Northern Conference was short-lived.
Behind 14 points from Logan van Beek and a double-double from Tall Blacks triallist Tom Abercrombie, the JTB/Breakers defeated the Suns 69-52 at Breakers Stadium on Sunday to become the fourth different league-leader this season.
Van Beek hit 5-of-8 from the field and added four rebounds and three steals while Abercrombie finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks as the JTB/Breakers went 2-1 in round 10, improving to 15-4 overall and taking a two-point lead over the Suns.
In a low-scoring, defensive match-up, the JTBs took a nine-point at quarter time, and although the visiting Suns were able to get within two points early in the second and third quarters, were in control, not trailing in the game after the 2:52 mark of the opening period.
Centre Rob Loe had a near double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds for the JTBs, while Canadian centre Mike King top-scored with 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Suns, who dipped to 13-4.
A credit to their defence, the JTBs held the Suns 34 points below their season average and under 30 percent shooting from the floor and three-point range.
The JTB/Breakers tipped-off the round with a 100-66 bonus-point win over neighbours Northside on Thursday night, with Adam Rainbird and Loe going for 23 points and van Beek 22 points, but tripped up the following night with a 78-62 road loss to eighth-placed Auckland, with Abercrombie’s 23 points not enough.
On Saturday, Western Bay got 19 points from Waikato Pistons NBL squad member Ike Smith and 18 points from former Auckland Star Charlie Piho in an 86-60 win over AUT University, earning them their eighth bonus-point for a 20-plus point win.
Harbour Heat Reserves improved to 13-1 with a thorough 109-56 schooling of Eastern Bays at AUT on Saturday, Heat NBL back-up Dan Ryan going off for a round-high 38 points and 10 rebounds, adding six assists and six steals along the way.
Ryan and Co remain fourth in the standings despite the fewest losses, a lack of bonus points from their 13 wins putting a hurt on them.
The defending champion Waikato Titans remained in the top-five and in line for a spot at the CBL Nationals next month with an 83-80 home win over Auckland on Saturday, with NBL Finals MVP Puke Lenden top-scoring with 17 points.
The Heat Reserves and Titans remain threats to the current top-three of the JTBs, Suns and Northside as they have between three and six games in hand.
A timely home-and-away double-header sweep kept the Waikato Pistons Development in the nationals hunt in round 10.
NBL champion Jamie Barnett scored 32 points as the Pistons survived a fourth-quarter collapse and a Kere Harnett three at the buzzer to beat Counties/Te Wananga 82-81 in Hamilton on Saturday, then Carl Whittred scored a game-high 24 points in the Pistons 75-55 victory over third-placed Northside on Sunday.
American guard James Carr produced two 30-point games as the Taupo Volcanoes split their home double-header with a 91-85 loss to West Ballaz Massey, who got 34 points from Bay Hawks forward Kevin Smith, and a 112-99 win over Counties/Te Wananga despite 37 points from CBL scoring leader Joe Jackson.
CBL Northern Conference – Round 10
Thursday, July 3
JTB/Breakers 100 (Adam Rainbird 23, Rob Loe 23) Northside 66 (Caleb Johns 13, BJ Anthony 13)
Friday, July 4
Auckland 78 (Simon Mesritz 17) JTB/Breakers 62 (Tom Abercrombie 23)
Saturday, July 5
Waikato Titans 83 (Puke Lenden 17) Auckland 80 (Josh Clark 23)
Pistons Development 82 (Jamie Barnett 32) Counties/Te Wananga 81 (Dylan Perfect-Tait 17)
Western Bay Suns 86 (Ike Smith 19) AUT University 60 (Joshua Tuaiti 12)
West Ballaz Massey 91 (Kevin Smith 34) Taupo Volcanoes 85 (James Carr 31)
Heat Reserves 109 (Dan Ryan 38) Eastern Bays 56 (Patrick Manu 15, Jamie Reddish 15)
Sunday, July 6
JTB/Breakers 69 (Logan van Beek 14) Western Bay Suns 52 (Mike King 18)
Taupo Volcanoes 112 (James Carr 30) Counties/Te Wananga 99 (Joe Jackson 37)
Pistons Development 75 (Carl Whittred 24) Northside 55 (BJ Anthony 14)
Monday, July 7
AUT University 98 (Joshua Tuaiti 17) West Ballaz Massey 83 (Kevin Smith 25)
CBL Northern Conference Standings (Round 10) (17KB pdf)
