Breakers Prevail in Front of Record Adelaide Crowd

The bigger the occasion the more the New Zealand Breakers seem to rise in NBL23 as they produced a strong performance to hold out the Adelaide 36ers in front of another record Adelaide Entertainment Centre crowd for Sunday's 85-83 win.

The Sixers fans were again out in force on Sunday with another record home crowd of 9368 turning up with high expectations as they looked to back up that great escape against the Illawarra Hawks on Friday night to return to the top six.

However, the Breakers arrived with a full roster available with the return of point guard Will McDowell-White and they would have the answers all afternoon long each time the 36ers threatened them.

It was a strong performance from New Zealand who never trailed after grabbing the lead midway through the opening quarter. 

Despite being in control up nine with a couple of minutes to play, New Zealand's win wasn’t secure with Adelaide getting some critical stops and scoring the last seven points including a huge dunk from Antonius Cleveland.

The home team couldn’t quite pull off the second comeback of the weekend, though, and as a result, the Breakers maintain second spot with a 13-6 record with a hectic schedule to come. The 36ers are just clinging to sixth position at 11-10.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Breakers are ??????? - Brantley and Pardon combine for the jam! ?<br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL23</a> live and free on 10 Peach and 10play | live on ESPN via Kayo Sports + Foxtel ? <a href="https://t.co/CTtfB24Xt7">pic.twitter.com/CTtfB24Xt7</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1611929635604037633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Barry Brown Jr finished with 16 points and three assists on 6/9 shooting for New Zealand with Jarrell Brantley contributing 15 points and five rebounds, and Izayah Le'afa 13 points.

Will McDowell-White returned with 10 points, seven assists and five rebounds with Dererk Pardon contributing 10 points and seven rebounds.

Breakers coach Mody Maor had his full squad available for the first time all season and knew Adelaide would never quit, but was delighted with the result.

"I thought we controlled the second half completely. Two minutes down, the game was ours with ball in hand, open court and up nine," Maor said. 

"Then we turned the ball over, gave Adelaide life and they came back into it. I told the guys that all the games up until the end of the season are going to be really tough, we're playing against teams who are fighting for everything.

"A guy on the team who is fighting for everything never backs down or gives up. Credit to Adelaide, they didn’t and had the last ball in hand to win the game."

Robert Franks top-scored for Adelaide with 20 points, 13 rebounds and three steals with Antonius Cleveland adding 18 points and five boards, and Ian Clark 16 points, five rebounds and three assists.

Kai Sotto was impressive as well in over 22 minutes delivering 16 points, five rebounds and two blocks on 8/12 shooting.

Sixers coach CJ Bruton pointed to his team's 23 turnovers from which the Breakers scored 28 points as the biggest factor in the game.

"It was ours to take and we shot ourselves in the foot," Bruton said.

"Valuing the ball's a big key and it really came down to the 23 turnovers I think and how they all came about. 

"It was from the jump ball going through the game it sort of put us in a difficult spot where we had chances to go ahead and take leads, and really grow. It was unfortunate."

Despite Barry Brown Jr scoring New Zealand's first seven points, Adelaide did have the better of the start with a couple of Kai Sotto buckets helping the home team to an early 9-5 edge.

However, New Zealand went on a 6-0 run before triples before quarter-time to Brown and Izayah Le'afa helped them lead 19-15 on the back of forcing the Sixers into six turnovers and scoring eight points from them.

Antonius Cleveland and Robert Franks combined to give Adeliade the lead to start the second, but it was only brief with the Breakers hitting the next seven points including an alley-oop finish from Dererk Pardon on the pass from Jarrell Brantley, and then a three ball from Cam Gliddon.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">McDowell-White with the vision across the paint ?<br><br>Le&#39;Afa is shooting at 3-5 from range - man is getting hot ??<br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL23</a> live and free on 10 Peach and 10play | live on ESPN via Kayo Sports + Foxtel ? <a href="https://t.co/5qS3xcD1wG">pic.twitter.com/5qS3xcD1wG</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1611934358499385344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Tom Abercrombie soon pushed the advantage for New Zealand to seven, and despite the 13 free-throw attempts to five in the half for Adelaide, the Breakers maintained that advantage on 52 per cent field goal shooting to 46 to lead 45-38 at the break.

Adelaide came out and got a three-pointer from Cleveland to open the second half but the Breakers continued to hold firm. The Sixers pulled the gap back to as close as one during the third quarter, but each time New Zealand responded.

Whether it was three-pointers to Brantley or Rayan Rupert or some finishes on the drive from Will McDowell-White, the Breakers held firm and were still on top 68-63 heading into the fourth.

Teenage Next Star Rupert hit his second three to start the final period to put New Zealand back up eight and even though the 36ers kept on coming led by Sotto, the visitors continued to have all the answers.

Sotto threw down a dunk on the alley-oop pass from Clark before another dunk on the baseline drive and a huge block on Brown. However, the Breakers kept responding and a Brown three ball had them still up eight.

Another three free-throws from Pardon saw that advantage out to nine with three minutes to go but the 36ers weren’t done with yet.

A three-point play from Franks and bucket to Cleveland had the home team back within four and then with a minute to play it was back to a two-point game thanks to a thunderous Cleveland dunk.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">AC is not giving this game up! Dropping the ?<br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL23</a> live and free on 10 Peach and 10play | live on ESPN via Kayo Sports + Foxtel ? <a href="https://t.co/1cc1E9GVXo">pic.twitter.com/1cc1E9GVXo</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1611951150223482880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It all led to a dramatic finish with neither team able to score again but it was Clark who had a look at the winner for Adelaide. His three just came up short with five seconds to play with New Zealand holding on for the two-point win.

The Breakers have the quick turnaround to play the Perth Wildcats at RAC Arena on Tuesday night before being straight to Christchurch to play Melbourne United on Thursday.

It's another crucial match up for the 36ers on Thursday on the road to the Tasmania JackJumpers.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 14

ADELAIDE 36ERS 83 (Franks 20, Cleveland 18, Clark 16, Sotto 16)

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 85 (Brown Jr 16, Brantley 15, Le'afa 13) 

BOX SCORE