Webster back to boost Breakers
Corey Webster’s timely return will help, but the Breakers will also be seeking to ramp up the productivity of imports Lamar Patterson and Colton Iverson for tonight’s Australian NBL rematch against the Adelaide 36ers.
If the 0-1 Breakers are to shake off the disappointment of their season-opening 94-91 overtime defeat to the 2-2 Sixers first up, they are going to need more significant outputs from their two restricted players.
On top of what they should get from Webster, whose cut hand has finally healed enough to allow him to return to action, it would provide the fillip the out-of-sorts Breakers need to get their campaign back on track.
In Iverson’s case, that should not be difficult after the experienced 2.13m American failed to make a bucket in just 10 minutes on court in an inauspicious NBL debut.
The most alarming aspect of a concerning statline (1 point, 6 rebounds and 3 quick fouls in just 10 minutes on court) was a -19 plus/minus. The score went south big time when he was on the floor.
The 31-year-old Iverson, is better than that. Way better.
Breakers coach Dan Shamir has been round too long to judge anyone on one game in an unfamiliar environment, but expects a response from the big American.
‘‘This was his first game, and though the minus-19 is number that jumps out of the statsheet, he needs a little more time to move faster and get into a rhythm. Hopefully
it won’t take too long,’’ Shamir told
Patterson was also way short of the standard expected. The twotime all-NBL selection looked out of shape and, not surprisingly, out of sync with his new team-mates after a late arrival in Australia. He finished with 16 points on 6-of-16 shooting and 6 rebounds, but had 7 turnovers, including a couple at the end of regulation.
The talented swingman looks like he might need a week or two to work back into the shape to be the team’s primary offensive weapon, but Shamir is confident he will get there.
Still, Webster’s medical clearance could not be more opportune. His younger brother, Tai, was the prime scoring threat last Friday but the 31 shots he took to accumulate a game-high 34 points was not the balance the team is looking for from its star point guard.
Corey’s return will provide a valuable scoring thrust for the Breakers, with the veteran Tall Black likely to be used in a bench role, at least initially.
‘‘I’m ready to go, man,’’ said Webster from Adelaide after the accident while cutting an avocado put a spanner in the works of his pre-season.
Webster said he did not anticipate any need for minutes restrictions either.
Corey averaged 19.5 points a game in 11 outings for the Breakers last season before being granted a mid-season release to play in Italy.
Tonight’s game in Adelaide will be the first time the Webster brothers have taken the court together since the Fiba World Cup in China two years ago.