NZ Breakers 96 Brisbane Bullets 89

The onslaught was led by the man who the Breakers’ fortunes were perhaps best summed up by — Tom Abercrombie. After scoring just 13 points combined in his last two outings, Abercrombie continued the Breakers resurgence after the interval with an aggressive display at both ends, finishing with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Abercrombie noted that his aggression was a response to his quiet showings the week before.

“I wasn’t too happy with how I played last week. I tried to be aggressive, get myself into the lane, get some free throws and be a bit more active.”

A trademark high-flying block was the highlight, but more important were the back-to-back threes which followed, giving the Breakers an eightpoint lead. Suddenly, the Breakers had the inside running, and unlike weeks prior, they got significant contributions across the board.

Off the bench, Rob Loe and Finn Delany provided necessary production to counter Brisbane’s interior punch, with the Breakers bench duo combining for 21 points on 9/12 shooting, and 12 rebounds.

Brisbane weren’t going away easily, but Newbill — as he often does — took over in the fourth quarter. The all-around import contributed a season-high eight assists, and when Brisbane threatened a comeback with a minute left, he reeled off five points to maintain the advantage.

Fittingly, Abercrombie scored the final points, as the Breakers claimed their 10th win and consolidated their spot atop the ladder.

(Tom Abercrombie 22, DJ Newbill 17)

(Tom Jervis 20, Daniel Kickert 16). HT: 49-47.

Breakers 96 Bullets 89