Abercrombie up f

A dialled-in Tom Abercrombie is pledging to stay in attack mode as the Breakers look to complete a successful bounceback weekend in the Australian NBL with a victory in Adelaide today.

The star Tall Blacks small forward was brilliant on Thursday night as the Breakers snapped their two-game mini-slump with a 96-89 home victory over the Brisbane Bullets to improve their league-best record to 10-3.

Today’s visit (7pm tipoff NZT) to the dangerous 36ers presents a more formidable challenge, even if Abercrombie, and the Breakers, may have caught a break with the hamstring injury to standout Adelaide small forward Mitch Creek early in Friday night’s 88-79 defeat at the Perth Wildcats.

The in-form Australian Boomers player (14.4ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.1spg) went down in the first minute of that game and is an extremely doubtful starter to face the Breakers.

But whether that makes life any easier for Abercrombie, and his Kiwi club, is doubtful with former NBA star Josh Childress likely to step in to the starting small forward’s role in Creek’s absence. The 30-year-old Abercrombie was fabulous in the Bullets victory, knocking down all five of his three-point attempts, notching a game-high double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds and throwing in a pair of blocks as well.

Just for good measure Abercrombie hounded import Bullets small forward Perrin Buford into a four-of-13 shooting night and three turnovers.

It was an outstanding display from Abercrombie at both ends of the court, and exactly what the Breakers needed after their Tall Blacks contingent had returned from the Fiba international window in disappointing fashion the week before. ‘‘I wasn’t too happy with how I played last week,’’ said Abercrombie of a combined 13 points in defeats to Perth (home) and Brisbane (away) that snapped a nine-game win streak. ‘‘I tried to be aggressive, get myself in the lane, try to get some free-throws and be a bit more active. I was able to make some shots to start with and that got me going.’’

Abercrombie (12.0ppg, 5.6rpg, 1.6bpg for the season) admits his challenge now is to stay in that aggressive frame of mind, which doesn’t always come naturally. ‘‘I hope to come in with the same aggressive mindset every game. Sometimes it comes your way and sometimes it doesn’t. But having that mindset now is really good. Each team presents different challenges, and one thing Adelaide will give us is plenty of opportunities for everyone.’’

With or without Creek, Joey Wright’s run-’n-gun team present a major challenge on their home court. ‘‘They certainly make you get up and down, so we’ve got be ready for that,’’ said Abercrombie. ‘‘It’s a real challenge how much they attack the rim and put pressure on your defence to keep your hands out. We’ve got to be good at keeping them off the foul-line and in D-trans (transition). Those are the most important things against them.’’ One thing that doesn’t change for Abercrombie is the defensive challenge he faces each week at the three spot. Whether it’s Creek or Childress from Adelaide, or Buford, or Melbourne’s Casey Prather, he is charged with locking down some of the more explosive talent in the league.

‘‘It’s a challenge Tommy cherishes,’’ says Breakers coach Paul Henare.

‘‘We think he is more than