Four in a row for resurgent Breakers
The New Zealand Breakers maintained their mid-season ANBL surge, steamrolling to a
96-87 victory over the Adelaide
36ers.
Imports Scotty Hopson (28) and Sek Henry (20) were massive for the Breakers, particularly in the clutch, after the two teams had been separated by only one point at each of yesterday’s first three breaks at the Adelaide Entertainment
Centre.
The Breakers opened up a nine-point buffer midway through the fourth quarter, before Jerome Randle (28 points), who was easily Adelaide’s best, conjured a three-pointer, a steal and a lay-up in the space of 17 seconds.
But that was the Sixers’ last yelp with Henry swatting Daniel Johnson and finishing with a crucial lay-up, after which Hopson and Brandon Ashley flew for late slams against the frazzled home side in a 26-18 final term.
The brilliant Hopson, New Zealand’s last-second matchwinner in each of their past two wins, was busy early as the Breakers led 21-20 at quarter-time against a scrappy and, at times, reckless 36ers outfit.
Adelaide tidied up their ball use in the second and took advantage of the Breakers’ foul woes (the Sixers nailed their first 18 free throws) and, with Randle firing to match Hopson’s exploits at the other end, the hosts led
45-44 at halftime.
The Sixers went cold midway during the third as New Zealand embarked on a
9-0 run.
The deficit was quickly erased with co-captain Kevin White drilling a late three to reduce the Breakers’ advantage to 70-69 at three-quarter-time. In limited minutes, White drew a charge and pilfered two steals to do his best to lift the 36ers.
But aside from Randle, there was little support as Adelaide produced an abysmal, turnoverriddled fourth stanza – New Zealand finished with 20-4 secondchance points in total – leaving the Sixers’ playoff hopes in jeopardy.