NZ Breakers draw first blood against Tasmania JackJumpers to go 1-0 up in NBL semifinal

At Spark Arena, Auckland: NBL semifinal, game 1: NZ Breakers 88 (Dererk Pardon 15, Will McDowell-White 13, Rayan Rupert 12, Barry Brown Jr 11), Tasmania JackJumpers 68 (Rashard Kelly 12, Milton Doyle 10). 1Q: 19-12; HT: 39-37; 3Q: 65-54.

Mody Maor’s New Zealand Breakers are one win from a first National Basketball League grand final appearance in seven years.

After going 5-23 last season in a perpetual road trip forced by the pandemic, the Kiwi club has transformed into one of the class acts of the Aussie league in 2022-23, drawing first blood in their best-of-three semifinal series against the Tasmania JackJumpers on Sunday at their downtown Auckland venue.

It was, in many ways, a trademark Breakers performance as they went 1-0 up in a series that will continue in Hobart on Thursday. That is to say their offence ebbed and flowed, ranging from the slick to the slack, but their defence never wavered as they put the squeeze on the visitors throughout, and led this contest at every juncture.

That tight, physical defence well and truly put the clamps on the JackJumpers who shot just 33% from the floor (20 of 59) and 26% (6 of 23) from deep, and trailed the entire way. The Breakers saw a 16-point lead pared back to just two (39-37) at halftime, but opened the third quarter with a scoring burst that restored the margin to double-digits (65-54) by the final break.

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The visitors never really threatened in the final period as the Breakers cantered home with a 23-14 final term.

The Breakers got a balanced effort on offence, with 11 players on the scoresheet as they overcame a rare off-night from power forward Jarrell Brantley who went 2-of-12 from the floor en route to just 8 points, 5 boards and 3 assists.

Never mind. Big American Defrerk Pardon stepped up to fill the void beautifully, leading all scorers with 15 points (on 6-of-8 shooting), to go with 9 rebounds and a pair of blocks.

Will McDowell-White was also excellent for the home side as he led the show splendidly to finish with 13 points (on 5-of-8 shooting), 6 rebounds and 7 assists.

French 18-year-old Rayan Rupert chipped in with 12 points and 5 boards, and Barry Brown, with his injured hand wrapped, added 11 points.

Tasmanaia were led by 12 points from import Rashard Kelly, but all-NBL first-teamer Milton Doyle was kept to just 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting.

It was a mixed bag of a first half from the Breakers as they burst out of the blocks to make an uncharacteristically fast start, scoring the first half-dozen points, and leading 12-2 just past the midway point of the opening period, and 19-12 at the first break.

That advantage grew to as many as 16 (31-15) in the second quarter as the home defence had the JackJumpers struggling for quality looks and McDowell-White (8 points, 4 boards, 4 assists), Pardon (8 points) and Rupert (6 points) kept things ticking along nicely for the Kiwi club.

But this is Tasmania we are talking about. They made the grand final in year one of their existence, and are back in the semifinals in year two. They are tough, resilient, plucky and very well coached. Sure enough, they finished the second period on a 16-3 run as the Breakers offence stalled, turnovers kicked in, and, behind 11 points from import forward Kelly, the visitors closed to with just a bucket (39-37) at the major break.

But the Breakers came out with renewed purpose at the start of the third period, and from there this game was only ever going to have one outcome. Maor and his men are now so close to a grand final they can practically touch it.