Townsville Crocs 75-86 NZ Breakers

As well as the Breakers have played recently though, they’d still only won one away game this season until this one. Unbeaten at home, but 1-5 away from home.

Granted they’d pretty much beaten Melbourne United, or at least played well enough to do so, in that dramatic flip-floppy encounter a couple weeks back. Plus their 1-3 start without Corey Webster happened to include three road losses (and their sole win, at home, was against Townsville) but that’s still a number that needed improving. Good thing they were playing the second-to-last placed Crocs then.

The Breakers came into this game fresh with the news that Dean Vickerman and Corey Webster had been named Coach and Players of the Month for November. However it was Catfish Jackson that started the game all fired up. He scored nine of the Breakers first 15 points as they shot out to an early lead. A lead that they’d hold for a significant portion of the game. He’d have 13 by the end of the first, the big fella, wreaking absolute havoc in and around the rim. It was 28-15 after a single quarter. Burning it at both ends.

Once again, free throws were a problem though. It’s pleasing to see them getting to the line but you’ve gotta make those points count – they call them ‘free’ throws for a reason. You’re not supposed to shoot better from the field than you are from the ol’ charity stripe. Reuben Te Rangi, Cedric Jackson, Catfish Jackson and then Cedric Jackson again all had 0/2 FT trips at various times. Meanwhile Corey and Mika were the only ones to go 2/2 at any time. That’s actually pretty pathetic and it came back to bite them eventually.

Especially as the Crocs came up with a late push to close the half with a few points. Mirko Djeric bombing a three at the end (the only two threes they conceded in the half were in that final minute). That run came with Cedric stepping off to the sidelines, he’s one of the better defenders on the team, but that wasn’t an excuse: it was just soft play to end the half. Still, the lead was 41-34 on the road so can’t complain too much at that. Catfish with 13 points (scoreless in the second), Abercrombie and Cedric with 9 each. Mitch Norton’s 7 points for the Crocs made him the only played on the home side with more than 4 in that first half.

The Crocs have a bit of a reputation as a comeback team after a overhauling a couple of big deficits this season. Having said that, they’re also second to last on the table so the fail more comebacks than they don’t. The third quarter began with Catfish missing FTs but even with the Crocs playing with more purpose and energy (they had a couple of veeery sloppy possessions in the first two quarters), the Breaks clung on thanks to a few Tom Abercrombie jumpers. A corner three pushed the lead back out after TV had pulled it within one. Corey Webster added a quick-draw treble of his own for the buffer.

It didn’t stem the tides, though. Pretty soon the Crocs had it tied up (at 57-57, the first tie since 2-2) and they’d have been in front at the end of the third too had it not been for a gorgeous drive and layup from Webster (who wasn’t having a classic) got it to 69-69. A heartbreaker of a defensive collapse from TV. A nose breaker too as Djeric spiked the ball in frustration… right into his own snozzer. Hilarious.

Possibly the defining moment of the game was with a bit over 3 minutes left when Cedric sunk a deep two pointer to make it 72-68. Webster had missed a three but Pledger rebounded. It was a dagger to take it to two possessions up and the Crocs seemed to feel it too. As they were pulling the blade clear of flesh, the Breakers stopped them twice and then added five more through Webby (a shooter’s bounce of the rim for three) and Mika, who then thumped a hammer on things with a block and another bucket. Vukona didn’t have a single made field goal until 2:10 to play in the game. He finished 3 of 6.

A great fourth quarter to overhaul what had been two quarters of slumping basketball. That’s what a championship team will do. Aside from a few slips, they were on their game defensively and that more than covered the points they left off the scoreboard in shooting 5 of 20 from 3pt and 13 of 31 from FT.

Catfish top scored with 22 points (to go with 6 boards), while Webster added 17 (6 of 14 FG) and Abercrombie 19 (7 of 11 FG) and 7 rebs. Mika’s 9 points were a season high for him and Cedric was a little bit of everywhere with 13 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals shooting 6 of 7 from the field (although just 1 of 6 from the FT line). Jordair Jett scored 15 for the Crocs,

Stocks:

Movin’ On Up Like Curtis Mayfield – Tai Wesley, in a funny way. Without his impact of the bench, the Breakers have struggled for consistency there. Some nights Bartlett will be able to get his looks and he’s a killer shooter but Pledger won’t always contribute to the score and Te Rangi is as streaky as they come. Wesley oughta be back soon, probably for Friday vs Sydney, and his presence will make a solid difference as a bench dude you can actually run plays for (mostly post ups, but nothing wrong with that – especially with NZB’s rebounding).

Goin’ Down Slow Like Howlin’ Wolf – Whoever’s in charge of coaching the shooting. Something has to be done about these free throws because the games will not be so forgiving in the playoffs. Got away with it here but this cannot continue – right now Webster is the only guy can be relied on.

Key Stat

Play of the Game

Gotta reinforce the rims when Catfish comes to town.

Season Standings

Cedric Jackson – 22

Corey Webster – 17

Thomas Abercrombie – 17

Charles Jackson – 13

Match MVP Points

Thomas Abercrombie – 3

Cedric Jackson – 2

Charles Jackson – 1

Mika Vukona – 1

Up Next

Friday, 7.30pm: NZ Breakers vs Sydney Kings, Vector Arena (NZT)