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At Spark Arena, Auckland: NZ Breakers 80 (Dererk Pardon 13, Jarrell Brantley 16, Rayan Rupert 12, Rob Loe 15), Melbourne United 74 (Xavier Nathan Mayes 15, Chris Goulding 11, Rayon Tucker 14). 1Q: 10-19; HT: 31-34; 3Q: 58-56.
The New Zealand Breakers might just be able to turn Auckland’s Spark Arena into a fortress this season after all.
On Saturday night, in front of a packed out crowd – well it was the only thing in the city not cancelled – they produced a come-from-behind 80-74 victory over Melbourne United to confirm their playoff spot for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
The Breakers had lost their last three games at Spark Arena and were 3 and 5 at the venue this season.
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That record wasn’t helped by a ridiculously tough travel schedule handed to them by the NBL, but failing to win games in front of your home fans is costly and if it wasn’t for their impressive record in Australia this season of nine wins and three losses, this could have been a very average campaign for them.
The Breakers are chasing down second place on the ladder, which would give them a first-round bye in the playoffs and went into this game just one win behind Cairns Taipans, who currently occupy that position.
Melbourne United were fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive and were on a five-game winning streak, plus had won both of their earlier meetings against the Breakers this season, so this wasn’t going to be easy. But when it counted, the Breakers stepped up.
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Melbourne United’s Lachlan Barker on attack against the Breakers defence which started poorly on Saturdat night.
Former Tall Black and Brooklyn Nets GM Sean Marks was at the game, making a rare visit home to New Zealand.
Marks is keen to look closely at the Breakers’ French import Rayan Rupert, who is expected to be selected in midway through the first round of this year’s NBA draft, and he also went to see him in the Breakers’ win in Brisbane on Thursday.
The Breakers didn’t get off to a great start and down 6-1 after less than two and a half minutes played coach Mody Maor called a timeout.
However, it didn’t have too much of an impact as they trailed 19-10 at the end of the first quarter, with 16 of Melbourne United’s points coming from in the paint.
The Breakers were able to tighten things up defensively in the second quarter but their scoring issues remained, although Rob Loe was standing out at both ends of the court.
An eight-point scoring run at the end of the first half, which included a great three-pointer by Jarrell Brantley made the score 34-31 in United’s favour at the interval.
Rupert’s impressive lay up at the start of the third quarter was good enough to get nodding approval from Marks in his court side seat.
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Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks (C) looks on during the Breakers’ win over Melbourne United.
The Breakers kept within touching distance of Melbourne, with both Dererk Pardon and Rupert stepping up, and in the last second of the period a basket from Brantley put the home team in front for the first time.
They continued that red-hot form in the fourth quarter, with Loe landing a couple of ridiculously good three-pointers.
It took three minutes, 42 seconds of that quarter for Melbourne score their first points, but by then they’d lost all momentum.
Although Melbourne were able to go on an 8-1 scoring run at one point, the Breakers kept their composure to nail the win.
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