Breakers clinch Cairns win in chaotic finish

The New Zealand Breakers’ winning streak has stretched to six after one of the most remarkable finishes in Australian NBL history.

With the scores tied and just 1.9 seconds remaining, a DJ Newbill inbound found Edgar Sosa in the left corner. He spun, rose, and fired — knocking down a three which gave the Breakers a 73-70 victory.

Sosa stood prone and soaked in the adulation as the Breakers bench spilled on to the court to mob their game-winning team-mate.

There was just one problem. There was still time on the clock, and Cam Gliddon threw up a full-court prayer, which remarkably went in, sending the home crowd into raptures.

However, there was also a problem for Cairns. After Sosa’s heroics, there was only 0.1 second left on the clock, and it is physically impossible to put up a “catch and shoot” shot attempt in less than 0.3 seconds.

As a result, Gliddon’s shot was rightly waved off, but not after mass confusion, and mass celebrations from both sets of players.

When the chaos died down, it was confirmed — the Breakers had a victory; their first over Cairns in six games, and one which keeps them atop the table with a 6-1 record.

As the ending suggests, it was a game which could have gone either way. The Taipans were on fire from deep to start, including a (legal) buzzer-beater from over half-court by Jarrad Weeks, which gave the hosts a 25-21 lead after the first quarter.

The Breakers stayed in the contest thanks to a peculiar mix of offensive rebounding and three-point shooting. Kirk Penney was their key to the latter success, hitting all four of his three-point attempts in a 16 point display.

He was aided by Finn Delany’s best game of the season as a high-octane first half quickly turned into a sludgy second period. The two teams combined for just 53 second-half points before the final minute, which well made up for the dreary moments proceeding it.

A Newbill lay-up put the Breakers up by one with 16 seconds remaining, but Scoochie Smith responded for the Taipans, being fouled on an offensive rebound. He hit the first free-throw, but missed the second, and then stepped out of bounds when corralling the resulting rebound.

That left Sosa with just enough time — and Cairns with barely not enough — to seal a stunning victory.

Taipans 70 (M. Carrera 16, A. Loughton 13, S. Smith 12) Breakers 73 (K. Penney 16, T. Abercrombie 12, F. Delany 11). HT: 43-41