Breakers through to NBL grand final series
MARC HINTON
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Basketball
The dream is alive. Just one hurdle now stands between the New Zealand Breakers and their shot at sporting history.
The Breakers will play in their first ever Australian NBL grand final after a magnificent 99-83 victory over the Perth Wildcats in last night's semifinal decider in Auckland.
And with that they now stand just one three-game series away from becoming the first New Zealand team to win a title in an Australian league. They will meet the winner of Sunday's Townsville-Cairns series decider, with game one scheduled for next Wednesday at the NSEC (6.30pm tipoff).
It was former league MVP and Melbourne Tigers motormouth Corey Williams who labelled the Breakers "chokers" ahead of this matchup. But after surviving a 23-point defeat in the opening game on their home floor, coming up clutch in Perth and then closing out the series in brilliant fashion it's the tweeting point guard who should be spluttering on his own words.
The Breakers were anything but chokers. They kept their cool, found their intensity on the road and in the end showed they were the class acts of this series as they won the decider with ease. The way the Wildcats lost the plot in the final quarter, committing some fairly dubious fouls, did the now former champions little credit.
Then when they fled the building in a huff without fulfilling their media obligations, well it entered the realms of toys being thrown from the cot. It was not how the defeat should have been handled.
Never mind. It was not going to ruin the Breakers' enjoyment of a magnificent occasion. "It does feel pretty special," reflected soon-to-retire skipper Paul Henare afterwards. "That was a tough series, they're a tough team. I know I'm feeling the effects of this game. It's a good thing we've got a week to prepare for next week."
In front of a sellout crowd of just under 4200, the Breakers handled the occasion splendidly. They started slowly, but once they found their rhythm in the second quarter there was only ever going to be one winner. They led by two at the first break, by nine at the half, by 11 after three and cruised home as the Wildcats challenge unravelled in the home stretch.
Big American Gary Wilkinson, playing through a bronchial infection, was clutch. He made five-of-eight field goals and went nine-of-11 from the line as he notched a game-high 20 points to go with seven rebounds.
The nerveless Kirk Penney was also special. Despite all the attention in the world, he still found room to make five of his eight three-point attempts as he finished with 18 points, six rebounds and three assists.
But it was CJ Bruton who was the difference-maker last night. The little Aussie - the Breakers' only import from across the ditch - shook off a sub-par first two games to go for 17 points (4/11 FG, 6/6 FT) and six assists. His shots always seemed to drop at just the right time.
Tom Abercrombie added a sweet 10 points, while Mika Vukona's nine points and seven rebounds on that gammy knee were further testimony to the forward's sheer will and determination. Alex Pledger's eight-point cameo off the bench (six coming in a decisive third-quarter run) was crucial too, while Kevin Braswell, Dillon Boucher and Paul Henare all played their roles splendidly.
An intense game boiled over early in the final quarter when Wildcats import Andre Brown was sent off when a skirmish broke out following a foul on Wilkinson. The big American threw a punch at Vukona which not only saw him exit early, but allowed Wilkinson to extend a seven-point lead to 10 from the charity stripe. The Cats never got within cooee after that.
Penney felt it was the turning point in the game.
"There were some dirty things going on out there but the guys did a great job of keeping our composure," he said. "When we had that tiff Mika got hit in the face and didn't react. That was crucial.
"When we had that tiff I just felt like 'it's over, we're going to win now'. Every time we have tiffs like that, the guys' blood rushes and we wind up playing very well.
"So many guys stepped up... everyone stepped up. CJ was great, Gary had the bounce back in his step again and everyone just played well."
The Breakers didn't exactly come bounding out of the blocks, trailing by as many as eight just past the midway mark of the first quarter. But a strong finish, capped by a huge, chest-thumping Wilkinson three-point play at the buzzer, saw the hosts behind by just two (23-25) at the first break.
Then the Breakers went up a gear, keyed as always by their defence. They went on an 8-0 run to start the second quarter, and stretched that to 18-6 as the lead hit double-figures.
Things briefly looked ominous in the third when the Cats clawed into the lead, but another outstanding finish by the Breakers - a Wilkinson three nearly lifted the roof off, likewise an Abercromble alley-oop - saw them ease back out to a decisive 11 (72-61).
And from there it was celebration time at the NSEC, with 2000 tickets to game one of the finals being sold inside two hours of the final buzzer.
New Zealand Breakers 99 (Gary Wilkinson 20, Kirk Penney 18, CJ Bruton 17, Thomas Abercrombie 10).
Perth Wildcats 83 (Matthew Knight 17, Jesse Wagstaff 12, Cameron Tovey 11, Stephen Weigh 10)
1Q: 23-25; HT: 52-43; 3Q: 72-61.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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So both the Breakers and the Wildcats were fined for not attending the awards dinner last week, will the Wildcats be fined again for not fulfilling their media commitments after the game?
Breakers are the only team that deserves this title. Miles ahead during the regular season & then losing to the defending champions at home in game one, everyone was ridiculing them & writting them off. To beat Perth in Perth was a huge effort & then I thought they were just amazing last night. If they bring that intensity to the finals behind that insane crowd I just don't see them losing with home advantage. I have 100% faith in them.
Go the Breakers! Choke on that Corey 'crybaby' Williams!
"And with that they now stand just one three-game series away from becoming the first New Zealand team to win a title in an Australian league."
so what did the Warriors U20's win then?
Great job fellas. Just tighten up on the rebounding and you are half way to the title. Your composure under pressure last night was awesome.
I don't want to jinx it, BUT, Auckland should start planning a ticker-tape parade.
Faith is what it's all about and the breakers were DYNAMITE!
Win or no win in the finals, you are already CHAMPIONS by showing true sportsmanship. A lot of our youth, our future generation look up to you guys and my head is bowing towards your direction. Have fun and play your game. All the best.
Good on ya. Go all the way lads!
wooohooo go the breakers, wilkinson is the man, he plays with passion he is def a hounoury kiwi, kirk should def be in the NBA but kind of happy hes still with us =P
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Great stuff guys!!! Good luck for next week. Would love to here what the wildcats are thinking now, or are they not man enough to stand up and congratulate the better team? Typical aussie attitude.