Breakers start series with tight win

The Breakers edged the first of a two-game pre-season series against Australian National Basketball League favourites Melbourne United in Napier yesterday.

In front of a passionate crowd at Pettigrew Green Arena, the Breakers came out 88-86 winners as they continue to build towards the new league season, which gets underway early next month.

Both teams played like it was the post-season, rather than just under three weeks out from the start of the new campaign, with an intensity that typifies the growing rivalry between the two teams, but it was the Breakers who won the day on the back of a 33-point final quarter.

Dominican point guard Edgar Sosa led the way, with 21 points, four rebounds and three assists, making four of seven three-point attempts in the process. He received great support from Finn Delany (13 points and five rebounds), Shea Ili (14 points, three assists, two steals), and Alex Pledger (11 points, eight rebounds).

Breakers coach Paul Henare reflected on a game that had everything.

‘‘I liked the competitive nature of the game, I thought both teams were getting after it and pushing,’’ he said. ‘‘There was definitely some rustiness and possessions where teams weren’t connecting, but that is to be expected at this stage of the year.

‘‘We played some small ball with Tommy [Abercrombie] at the four with Mika not being here, we tinkered with the lineup and played Robbie [Loe] and Pledge [Alex Pledger] together as well for a few minutes. That is what this time of year is about.’’

The Breakers had begun their pre-season with two wins and a loss at the Blitz tournament in Victoria, and will meet Melbourne again in New Plymouth tomorrow night, before facing the Brisbane Bullets in Tauranga on September 27, before launching the new campaign at home against the Cairns Taipans on October 8.