Fast Break Report #20: Panic Stations? #KirkishDelight
Illawarra Hawks 87-69 NZ Breakers
The toughest thing about a league like this, where a handful of teams are effectively spread out across a continent and change, is getting results on the road. And yet the last six titles have been won by the two teams with the most distance to travel, largely because of a little thing called ‘Home Field Advantage’. As far as the Breakers and Wildcats need to travel to away games, oppositions have to travel just as far for the return legs. Three of the Breakers four titles were clinched at home. The problem now is that with three losses on the trot and another tough game coming on the weekend, should the Breaks hold on and make the playoffs then they’re still probably gonna have to do it on the road, Kerouac.
- NZ Breakers at home: 8-2
- NZ Breakers on the road: 3-7
Twice the Breakers have been torched by Kirk Penney and you can make that three now. And he did it in Heritage Round, with the Hawks decked out in a gaudy yellow and blue while the Breakers kit sneakily featured the names of every single player to have ever worn it in the past. Like Kirk Penney, for example. The Hawks had already overtaken NZB on the table, dropping the kiwi side to fourth and in a fair bit of trouble. A Tom Abercrombie turnover on the first possession was not a good start.
It was a relatively quick game, taking the kind of sharp pace that definitely suits the Hawks and their way of playing but it isn’t the worst thing for the Breakers offence either, which tends to get bogged down when playing their half-court sets. Not ideal for the defence, but to be honest there was some great stuff at that end, causing the Hawks to miss a number of good looks (shooters get plenty of blame too of course). Abercrombie and Mika leading the way there, with Cedric making some fine plays as well (there was this one steal, man…). Plus Cedric was going on the attack with his dribble, not able to finish but getting to the foul line all the same. A poisoned chalice sometimes for him, he split four straight trips there with a miss and a make.
At the end of the first it was 21-20 to the Hawks, Penney had 7 points while Corey Webster had only a single field goal attempt to his name. It missed.
But a terrible start to the second quarter threw the entire game off balance. The Hawks began on a 9-1 run, the Breakers not scoring a field goal ‘til almost four minutes into the stanza. Not only that but the Hawks must have figured something out because they were drawing fouls left, right and centre, getting into the bonus within five minutes. As soon as that happened, it seemed the Breakers got timid on D. They were slow to close out and they were getting stuck under picks, afraid to get assertive and risk giving away free points. Needless to say the Hawks’ many jumpers immediately made it rain.
A Tom Abercrombie three pulled the score back to 30-26 but then began a 15-0 run. You simply cannot afford two crap points streaks against you like that in the same quarter, there is no excuse. Find a way to score the basketball, find something that works and stop repeating the same mistakes. The body language was way off, which is strange for a team with such inbuilt leadership and positive culture. Meanwhile Webster didn’t score a point until 28 seconds before half time.
It was a 26-9 second quarter, 47-29 at half time. The Breakers shooting 29.4% across the first couple quarters. It’s not just that they were missing but they weren’t even getting good looks. Catfish Jackson picked up two fouls in the first five mins and he wouldn’t return until the third quarter – sitting out the whole second. He got picked on off the switch but he brings an interior presence that only he can, plus his offensive rebounds and put-backs are a great source of unexpected offence.
The comeback started off nicely in the third as the Hawks were docked a point for a Rhys Martin three that was actually a two (it had been 48-29 until the review came through). Unfortunately Chuck didn’t live up to the FBR hype, having his dribble picked off on the first possession. Then he gave up a dumb foul. Shane McDonald checked in after Cedric got poked in the eye and he lost the ball taking the inbounds pass and then fouled an offensive rebounder. Cedric checked right back in.
A short Kirk Penney blitz, #KirkishDelight as they’re calling it, put him up to 20 points and blew the lead out further. There was some outstanding Illawarra defence and the lead ballooned to 29 points. It was bloody disastrous.
From there, a few gambles on defence gave the Breakers some momentum. Webster ripped away two steals on the full court press (Bartlett helping him out on one, credit where it’s due) and turned those into layups. It was in getting to the rim at pace that the Breakers were able to find success. Webster especially, it’s a shame he settles for the jumper as often as he does (admittedly for good reason) because the guy has handles and he can finish. But then Bartlett committed a braindead foul on Kevin Lisch (just, no). A few signs of life, but the odd dumb play reminded you that they weren’t coming all the way back.
It was a five of Webster/EB/RTR/Tai/Pledge that played most of the third. Some frantic stuff in there looking for cheap turnovers, trying to turn their defence into quick offence. What that meant was that occasionally it worked and occasionally it did not, with the Hawks being as good of a passing team as any other in the league (much better than NZB), they were often able to find the free man for an open shot and there was usually a free man. Te Rangi and Bartlett were consistently getting lost in this high pressure system, not as able to switch markers on instinct as a guy like Webster. Bartlett is a sublime shooter, one of the rare plus-guys from deep on this team but, oh wow he is bad on defence. Te Rangi really needs to be better off the ball too because that dude simply cannot shoot. Barely above 20% from three and it’s not just that he misses but that he misses bad.
Webster played really well in the second half. He’d end with 23 points, making 7 of 11 2pters. The usual starters were back in the fourth, Catfish playing a great quarter after sitting out so much time. Cedric got back to the stuff he was doing so well in the first. But the Hawks were making far too many shots for the Breakers to ever get close. It got down to a 15 point deficit. That was it.
Beyond Webster’s 23, Cedric had 14, while Mika scored 4 with 8 boards and Catfish 7 with 5 boards and a couple blocks. On the other side of things, Penney topped with 28 points, Lisch had 16p & 8r while Martin added 13 off the bench. Five different dudes had multiple steals and they blocked 9 shots. It was a magnificent effort from them but the Breakers had better figure something out before they meet again at Vector on Sunday.
Stocks:
Movin’ On Up Like Curtis Mayfield – It’d be very easy to say nobody but Corey Webster deserves a lot of credit for his 21 point second half. He straight away recovered from one of the worst halves of his career and never once gave up as the lead got beyond them. For a guy who had been labelled as lazy in the past, there’s no way you can question his commitment now. There’s a very clear feeling that he’s playing below his depth.
Goin’ Down Slow Like Howlin’ Wolf – Tai Wesley shot 1/11 and that 1 was a three pointer. But it’s not him. This game’s downslider is Coach Vickerman, who has shown that he’s a great general when things are good, a likeable guy who can get the best out of his best players when things are good. But his first season was a disaster and this season is threatening to fall off the wagon. He needs to be able to change the course of a game better. He needs to figure a way to get this team scoring against the top defences. Up to you, champ.
Key Stat
Believe it or not, the Breakers actually shot a better field goal percentage than the Hawks did. 36.9% compared to 36.1%. It’s the 46-34 rebounding, the seven extra FGAs, the 10 points more from the FT line and the four extra made threes that made the real difference.
Play of the Game
At least Webby was getting stuff done.
Season Standings
Cedric Jackson – 28
Corey Webster – 28
Tom Abercrombie – 19
Match MVP Points
Corey Webster – 3
Cedric Jackson – 2
Mika Vukona – 1
Up Next
Sunday, 5pm: NZ Breakers vs Illawarra Hawks, Vector Arena (NZT)