Adelaide 36ers 84-106 NZ Breakers

The Breakers are beyond second chances. They came into this game knowing that a loss would end their hopes of making the playoffs once and for all and with three games remaining. How exactly it came to this is a little foggy. Did we lose six games in a row or was that just a bad trip? On the other hand, a win here would keep things going and a win by 16 points or more would give them the series split over the 36ers – effectively a whole other win.

It is in no way cool to cheer for an opponent injury but it can’t be denied that the Breakers’ chances not only of winning this game but of catching Adelaide on the ladder were well boosted by Jerome Randle’s injury the other day. Best wishes to the dude, he’s been a revelation since he joined the NBL but, like, feel free to rest it up a few weeks.

Boom, and the Breakers started fine. Sharp, determined basketball, it was focussed like we haven’t seen in a while. Part was some soft ADL defence but credit the Breaks too for finding a way to get simple shots and make them count. Add in early triples to Cedric and Corey and bloody hell where has this been the last month!? Breakers up 10 midway through the first.

In reply Adam Gibson looked up for the scrap. He was dangerous peeling around screens on the dribble. However the 36ers seemed to be making a deliberate thing of letting Cedric pop those threes if he wants… and he did want. He hit his first couple and although he missed a third (and although that standoff D worked a bit better on Te Rangi and Tai Wesley) he still had 8 at the end of the first and the Breakers were up 28-17. Good start, keep this going.

It’s nice when your best players stand up when they need to. Cedric blasted them out to 15 points up, sitting around that magical mark, but Adelaide clawed it back into single figures. Webster was getting overshadowed by the Cedric long ball show but he wasn’t far off the pace either. 13 first half points shooting 6/8. But, yeah, that doesn’t sit with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. FIVE three pointers! Considering the Breakers were the only team not to score 100 in a game this year, having 56 points at HT was quite incredible. 56-36.

“It’s about confidence and believing in yourself.” – Cedric straight-faced after a condescending HT chat about his 3pt shooting.

It probably sounds like the shooting was the key factor and it certainly helped but even better than that was the passing. Rebounding was good, shooting was great and the passing was outstanding. Some of the passes that Pledger had the privilege of catching (and then finishing) were just tremendous. 23 total assists in this one, compared to 12 from Adelaide.

On the downswing, Mika picked up his fourth foul not even halfway through the third. He couldn’t get in a rhythm and would only play 12 minutes, with 4 pts/2 ast. Fouls were a big part of that third with the 36ers getting into the bonus far too early and the Breakers actually hitting some free throws. With that the score was always ticking over and it read 79-56 at 3Q time. That +15 mark looking bloody likely after all.

15 is a lot of points though. They’ve only won twice by that many this season and when the Sixers started making shots they hauled it all the way back to 12 points. Corey hit back with a vital treble.

What the 36ers did well was draw fouls. It was happening all day with Mika and then Catfish playing in foul trouble. Charles would foul out in the fifth minute of the final quarter with only 2 points and 2 rebs. When they got it back to an 11 point deficit suddenly a few bad possessions and the result was in danger, not only the margin. Which made it a lovely time for Cedric to regain his three balance. Mika then fouled out with 2:52 left.

Tell ya who else had a great game? Alex Pledger. The big fella was spotless from the line, he defended well and he took it to the bank in the paint. Great effort on a night where his tag team partner was limited by fouls. 17 points and 6 boards. That's a season-high for points.

And Corey Webster. What a man. 11 points in the fourth quarter. The off-balance fadeaway over Ebe Ere late in the shot clock was superb and then that three with 42 secs to make it a 20 point game… well, that may just prove a defining moment in the season. He’d end with 28 on 11/16 shooting.

Cedric Jackson’s previous career high was 32 points against Cairns in 2013. At 30 he was fouled going up on a triple but, almost predictably, he could only make one of three FTs. Settle for 31, he was brilliant all the same. Plus a cheeky 10 boards and 6 assists. There was this great moment in the third where he found a bit of space on the perimeter and pump faked a shot, sucking his man all the way in before he dropped it and drove to the basket. It was the antithesis of how he’s been able to play most of the season, defenders respecting his shot enough to open up the full variety of options. When that’s the case he’s arguably the best player in the league.

The absence of Randle was a major factor for Adelaide. Nobody was able to take the mantle, Ebe Ere had a poor game under that pressure while Gibson had some moments though never lived up to the early promise. He had 14 with 7 assists. Mitch Creek topped with 16 while Petrie and Johnson also hit double figures. But Ere shot 2 of 12 for 9 points.

So a big win and the Breakers take the tiebreaker between the pair. Adelaide now lead them on the table by a single win with away games to play against Cairns, Perth and Illawarra to come. The Breakers also play Cairns (on Sunday) but at home before a home/away double header vs Melbourne. Basically, it’s like this:

Stocks:

Movin’ On Up Like Curtis Mayfield – 7 of 13 from three and 6 of 13 from FT. One of those Cedric stats was exactly where you expect it and the other was definitely not. Hitting shots, man, it changes everything. Cedric was outstanding this game.

Goin’ Down Slow Like Howlin’ Wolf – Fox Sports bro. For God’s sake, how can they still be having graphics issues at this stage of the season? Sort your damn lives out! It seems like the scoreboard crashes every second game they broadcast.

Key Stat

Alex Pledger shot 7/7 from FT. We’ve found the solution, get Pledge the ball. (Meanwhile Abercrombie was 1/6 and Cedric 6/13).

Play of the Game

Yeah, this’ll do. Another great pass and Pledge finishes hard despite the contact.

Season Standings

Cedric Jackson – 36

Corey Webster – 30

Tom Abercrombie – 26

Match MVP Points

Cedric Jackson – 3

Corey Webster – 2

Alex Pledger – 1

Up Next

Sunday, 5pm: NZ Breakers vs Cairns Taipans, North Shore Events Centre (NZT)