Breakers dismantle Kings

Defending champs sell out Vector Arena

MARC HINTON

What's next for the red-hot New Zealand Breakers? Maybe a roof on Eden Park, and then Auckland can really celebrate its hottest sporting team.

The Australian NBL's defending champions last night drew the biggest ever crowd to a basketball game in New Zealand, and responded with a brutally efficient 93-64 dismantling of the sinking Sydney Kings.

Remarkably, the red-hot Breakers sold out the 8000-capacity Vector Arena ahead of tipoff and the league's biggest crowd of the season celebrated yet another impressive display from their team who won in a canter against the outmatched Sydneysiders.

The victory takes the Breakers' record to a league-best 14-5, and extends their home mark to a mighty 7-1. It was also the club's sixth straight win over the less than regal Kings who slump to 8-12, and dangerously close to playoff oblivion.

It's no wonder that Auckland cannot get enough of these Breakers - this was their fourth straight sellout, and next week's semifinal rematch against the Perth Wildcats at the smaller NSEC is a laydown to make that streak five - and last night they revelled on the big stage.

They took a while to settle, but found their groove midway through the second quarter and from there were always going to cruise to their fourth straight victory since that Yuletide mini-slump. Once again their defence (they forced 18 turnovers) and rebounding was excellent, and as usual they moved the ball beautifully to find the open man - 26 assists coming on their 36 baskets.

Centre Gary Wilkinson topped the Breakers scoring with 18 points (7/17 FG), four boards and a pair of steals, but Thomas Abercrombie shaded him for the quality of his output, the springy Kiwi netting 16 points on six-of-14 shooting, to go with four rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block.

But there is no show these days without Cedric 'Action' Jackson, and the quicksilver point guard again sparked the Breakers with his energy and electricity, finishing with 10 points, nine rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals as he moves assuredly into league MVP contention.

Once again the Breakers spread their scoring splendidly, with Mika Vukona, Alex Pledger and Benny Anthony all adding nine points apiece and Dillon Boucher finishing with a nice little double of six points and five assists.

Not that Breakers coach Andrej Lemanis was exactly oozing content after the match, the hard taskmaster clearly keen to keep his standards high ahead of next week's top-of-the-table clash.

"It was good fun wasn't it, playing in front of that many people and it was good we were able to give them a game they could enjoy and go away happy," he said.

"But I thought we were in and out a little bit. There were times when we showed Breakers basketball and played well at the defensive end and there were times that we were a little bit all over the place.

"We weren't consistent enough at that end of the floor, and that translated into some of our offensive stuff as well."
Lemanis clearly understands the importance of his team keeping its defensive standards high as they look to secure the all-important home advantage for the playoffs over the next couple of months.

"In that second quarter CJ [Bruton] did a good job of getting us going at the defensive end. He brought his energy and that gave us a bit of a boost. We've got to be good at that end of the floor, as when we play with the energy that we can we're pretty damn tough.

"We've got bodies we can keep throwing in. I thought BJ [Anthony] came in and did a good job, Pledge came in and did a good job, and we've got Bouch coming in and doing his bit.

"We've got enough depth on the bench that you can play with energy and that's how we have to go about every minute on the floor."

Big Julian Khazzouh led the Kings' effort with 20 points and eight boards, but aside from Anatoly Bose's 13 points there was too little help from his mates.

Neither side exactly set the world on fire through a scrappy opening quarter which ended with the Breakers leading by four (18-14) but shooting a distinctly ordinary 25 percent from the floor.

The Kings' hopes of a monumental upset even fluttered briefly to life midway through the second quarter when Khazzouh finished off a four-point possession with a putback that took the visitors out to a 28-23 lead.

But that only served to stun the league's defending champions to life as they upped the ante defensively and started to knock down some shots to go on a 22-6 run to close out the half with an ominous 11-point lead.

From there it was never in doubt, and all that remained was for the big crowd to be entertained by an array of flashy dunks that finished in style with Leon Henry's putback slam on the buzzer.

Next up are the equally in-form Wildcats on Thursday. It should be a ripper - if you can get a ticket.

NZ Breakers 93 (Gary Wilkinson 18, Tom Abercrombie 16, Cedric Jackson 10), Mika Vukona), Sydney Kings 64 (Julian Khazzouh 20, Anatoly Bose 13). 1Q: 18-14; HT: 45-34; 3Q: 65-52.

- © Fairfax NZ News