Lamar Patterson bounces Breakers past Cairns Taipans
UNDER-PRESSURE Breakers import Lamar Patterson responded to his army of critics with a game-changing breakout display for the Breakers in Cairns last night.
Sure, he had some help via a standout contribution from his point guard Tai Webster (23 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists), but the timely return to form of Patterson (22 points on 8-of-15 shooting), especially over the second half, was the key contribution in an 85-79 Breakers Australian NBL victory over the home-town Taipans.
It was much-needed, too, all round for the Kiwi outfit as they improve to 1-2 for the new season. The Snakes, on the other hand, slid to a sixth straight defeat to slither to the bottom of the table at 1-6.
Patterson had drawn some pretty fierce criticism from the Aussie hoops punditry as he looked out of shape and devoid of rhythm through the Breakers’ two defeats in Adelaide to open the season 0-2. But he put his head down, used his physical advantages well and poured in
18 of his 22 points over the final two quarters to help the
Breakers fight back from a seven-point halftime deficit and a double-digit defecits in the third term.
Webster very much carried the Breakers through the first half, scoring 18 of his 23 points and keeping his side in the game with his ability to beat defenders off the dribble. Finn Delany pitched in with a valuable 13 points and 9 rebounds for the Kiwis, while Tom Abercrombie and Rob Loe added 8 each.
Sixteen offensive boards helped a lot for the Breakers but not quite as much as that Patterson bounceback. The two teams meet again in Cairns tomorrow.