NZ Breakers 88-93 Adelaide 36ers

Goddammit. Just… goddammit. It’s probably gonna be tough to nail down first place now for the Breakers after falling at home to in-form Adelaide in what turned out to be a thriller down the stretch. Everybody do your MJ dances.

Cairns stomped Sydney on Sunday so with two games to go, the Taipans are a game ahead of the Breakers and should they beat NZB in the final game, they take first. If they win tonight (Friday) and the Breakers lose in Perth on the weekend then same deal. However, while Perth can still match their record if they win out, the Breakers have already beaten them three times for the season split. So a second place (likely) finish means a semi-final against that very Perth team… or this Adelaide team.

From the very start against Adelaide, Corey Webster was feeling it. He stuck a couple three pointers as the Breakers took a quick 8-0 lead, but then the bench came in for the visitors and swung the game – Daniel Johnson scored 15. Not to mention starting guard Jamar Wilson who was immense throughout. Add in Brock Motum and Adam Gibson and once Adelaide took the lead they held it for most of the night. They were clever and precise, hitting shots and avoiding mistakes while the home side fouled and turned it over.

It wasn’t like the Breakers were shooting poorly either. Corey Webster was in heat check mode and he was still knocking ‘em down. Mika Vukona came back in with his usual energy and hustle but then a slack finish to the first half saw ADL up by 7 at the half.

Cedric Jackson Triple-Double Watch was on full alert from the first quarter, where he had 5 early assists. As the game went on it was clear that a second one of the season and third of his ANBL career was inevitable, and so it proved. He finished with 11/11/11 in the three major lines, but his 4-18 shooting was a problem. Plenty of those were follow-up tip-ins that didn’t fall (but did give him offensive boards), but it still wasn’t pretty. However, a triple-double in this league is a marvellous feat and he’s done it twice in a season. What’s that sound? Is that the faint echo of an MVP chant?

What most definitely was pretty was Corey Webster’s shot. He finished with a career-high 26 points, hitting 10-14 shots. That’s peak Webster, the inverse of the guy who sometimes shoots more in parallel with Cedric’s effort here. Take a look at Corey’s shot chart, he was massive.

Unfortunately there was nothing from Rhys Carter, and while Alex Pledger did some decent things off the bench in his 10 minutes (8pts), Tai Wesley was quiet, scoring just 4. Adelaide bossed this game without the three point line being a factor. They were 3-13 from deep as a team, instead moving the ball smartly and capitalising on size and strength in the paint and the ability of their players to: a) finish in traffic, and b) get to the foul line.

So with five minutes left in the fourth quarter, the 36ers were up by 12 points and it looked like a morale-crushing beat down for the Breakers. But then things started to happen.

The 36ers missed a few shots and the Breakers scored a few. Webster hits a triple. ADL turnover. Mika makes 2. ADL with 2. Cedric with the treble. ADL turnover. Abercrombie with 3. ADL timeout. Scores tied with just under two minutes to play.

The crowd was way into it now, having just a few minutes earlier been planning their route back to their cars. Then Uncle Kenny picks off the inbounds pass and runs it the length and suddenly the home team have an unlikely (and undeserved based on three and a half quarters) lead. Ibekwe scored again to make it 88-85, but then Jamar Wilson finished a tough layup, Mika missed one, and Adelaide took the lead back at the free throw line. With 12 seconds to go, Tom Abercrombie launched a fade away that would have put the Breakers back on top but it rimmed clear, and after a couple more free throws, his corner three to tie it with 4 seconds left was no good either. Adelaide hold on for a tight victory, they’ve now won 8 games in a row and look like trouble heading into the playoffs.

Jamar Wilson, that man, he had a game-high 28 points. Motum added 18 and Wilson 11p & 10r. For the home side there were also solid contributions from Abercrombie (15p/5r/3a), Vukona (8p/6r/3a) and Ibekwe (14p/7r/3b). It just wasn’t enough.

Stocks:

Movin’ On Up Like Curtis Mayfield – Before the game, Coach Vickerman said he was expecting more from Tom Abercrombie. TA responded. 3-5 from 3pt, his 15 points came on 11 shots and he managed to register tallies on most of the box score columns. He doesn’t have to top score, so long as he’s involved and energetic. This was much more like it from a guy who seems to have been squeezed back a little in the pecking order with some assertive types around him. Abercrombie nailed the score that tied it, although he’ll be ripping after missing those two late efforts. The fact that he was taking those shots at all is a positive for this team though.

Goin’ Down Slow Like Howlin’ Wolf – Rhys Carter. Jeez, the fella’s having a poorly timed slump. In his last four games he’s hit only a single three pointer from 15 attempts. And in that stretch the Breakers have lost 3 of 4. Shows how crucial his dagger threes off the bench are.

Key Stat

Cedric’s triple-double was the first in the ANBL in a losing effort since 2004, when Rashad Tucker did so for Perth, back when they still played 12 minute quarters.

Play of the Game

The moment when the Breakers took the lead for the first time since the first quarter. Uncle Kenny giving it his best James Harrison impersonation with the Pick Six.

Match MVP Points

Corey Webster – 3

Cedric Jackson – 2

Tom Abercrombie – 1

Season Standings

Cedric Jackson – 38

Corey Webster – 27

Mika Vukona – 24

Up Next

Sunday, 7pm: Perth Wildcats vs NZ Breakers, Perth Arena (NZT)