Long stars as Breakers
The Breakers playoff hopes received a major boost thanks to another huge performance by Shawn Long.
Fresh off Friday night’s starring display in Adelaide, the big American import scored a Breakers season-best 33 points as the Kiwi franchise knocked over the league-leading Perth Wildcats 97-84 at Spark Arena in Auckland.
Long, who also had six rebounds, shot an impressive 70 per cent from the field (12-17) and landed three of four from beyond the arc.
He dominated the paint with fellow big man Tai Wesley, who finished with a double-double (20 points, 10 rebounds) while Patrick Richard added 14 crucial points off the bench.
After a back-and-forth first half, the Breakers surged ahead with a 15-0 run to close out the third quarter. And while the Wildcats refused to go away, the Breakers always had an answer to avoid a series sweep against their old rivals.
It was the Kiwi franchise’s second-straight win and fourth from their last five games to improve to 8-9, one win behind the fourth-placed 36ers.
Star point guard Bryce Cotton scored 27 points but Terrico White (16 points) was the only other Wildcat to reach double figures as they failed to mark veteran Damian Martin’s 300th ANBL appearance in style.
Playing their first home game of the new year, the Breakers made a slow start as Perth quickly found their rhythm.
Wesley and Shawn Long made their presence felt early, but a Cotton three on the buzzer put the visitors ahead by seven at the end of the first quarter.
The Breakers responded in the second by lifting their intensity at the defensive end.
Coach Kevin Braswell found plenty of energy off the bench, led by Richard and Jarrad Weeks, and several stops helped them eat into the deficit.
An Armani Moore three followed by a Wesley basket wrestled the momentum as well as the lead off the Wildcats midway through the period.
But the Wildcats have too much offensive firepower to be gifted possession. And a couple of sloppy turnovers by the Breakers helped Perth to a 51-47 halftime lead.
The Breakers made their move in the third and it was sparked by that man Long.
The former Philadelphia 76er made crucial plays at both ends of the floor, including five quick points to start the quarter.
He received plenty of help from Richard, who drained two big three pointers before a corner three on the buzzer by Tom Abercrombie gave the Breakers a nine-point lead.
The Wildcats threatened to make things interesting in the final period.
They drew to within four points with three minutes to go