Breakers broken in last quarter

AUCKLAND: The New Zealand Breakers’ slide has continued, as they fell to their fourth defeat in their last five games after a horror fourth quarter display against the Adelaide 36ers.

Winners of nine straight games earlier in the season, the Breakers have crashed back to earth, with their most recent struggles seeing them lose twice in the space of a week to the 36ers.

On Sunday in Adelaide, a rapid lastminute

Breakers comeback fell just short in a

9592 loss, but this time, it was Adelaide which launched a devastating comeback.

Down by 11 early in the fourth quarter, the 36ers roared back, remarkably winning the final quarter 3411 to snare a scarcely believable 9075 victory.

The loss drops the Breakers to 105, and while still safely in second spot on the ANBL ladder, the chasing pack is rapidly gaining ground, including the 36ers (86).

Their comeback on the ladder was mirrored by their efforts last night, pulling off a drastic turnaround in a game full of them.

Adelaide had shot out of the gates in an opening stanza which was as sloppy as the Breakers had played this season. It took the hosts four minutes to make a field goal, and as a result, they soon trailed 155.

The Breakers got little from their starting lineup all game, but they did get a boost from their bench. Finn Delany and Rob Loe were the initial force for the Breakers, and kickstarted a 234 streak which shot the Breakers into a significant advantage.

The Breakers were scoring inside at will, building a 14point lead, but Adelaide tightened things up in the second half, and the Breakers’ wayward threepoint shooting (7/29) and lack of contributions from their starters started to cause problems.

Despite getting 41 points from their bench, the Breakers’ starting five only had Alex Pledger in double digits. Tom Abercrombie mustered just two points, while imports Edgar Sosa and DJ Newbill combined for 16 on 5/21 shooting.

As the Breakers’ imports floundered, one of Adelaide’s shone. Ramone Moore took over in the fourth quarter.

Moore finished with 27 points on 11/16 shooting, adding five rebounds and five assists as he put the 36ers back in the lead with five minutes remaining.

Adelaide then awoke Nathan Sobey from his slumber and the talented guard sparked into life in the final period as the 36ers stunned the home crowd.

Fittingly, the pair put the final nail in the coffin, Moore throwing an alleyoop to Sobey, who emphatically finished off the dunk, and the Breakers’ hopes. — NZME