Breakers coach’s mind-over-matter warning

With six of their first eight games on the road, including their last four, the New Zealand Breakers are understandably weary and ready for the familiar surrounds of Spark Arena.

They’ve done it without their most dominant player, Parker Jackson-Cartwright, and fellow import Josiah-Jordan James, both sidelined through injury. Even so, the Breakers have reached 4-4, a solid return from a schedule stacked away from home.

But after Sunday’s 98-92 loss to the Tasmania JackJumpers in Hobart, head coach Gordon Herbert admitted the trip had taken its toll.

“To a certain extent, I think we are playing a little bit on fumes a little bit tonight,” Herbert said.

“We were dead tired after the Sydney game and then more travel. But you know, that’s the nature of this job, and it’s like I told our players: if we think we’re mentally tired, we will be tired. We got to fight through it, and I thought for the most part they did an outstanding job fighting through it. You know, they never gave up. They fought through it.”

For three quarters, the Breakers matched the hosts blow for blow. They led 32-31 at the first break, trailed by just two at half-time and were within five heading into the last.

They hung tough behind Sam Mennenga and Carlin Davison, but tired legs told in the final minutes as the JackJumpers pulled away.

“We just kind of ran out of gas there a little bit,” Herbert said.

“They [Tasmania] made some big plays and, you know, it was a two-point game. They made some plays and we didn’t. Give them credit.”

Mennenga (36 points, 11 rebounds, 15/19 FG) was unstoppable early. He poured in 18 points on perfect 7/7 shooting in the first quarter. Davison (17 points, 11 assists, 6/8 FG) kept growing into his role at point guard, with 9 assists by half-time.

But Tasmania won the effort areas that decide tight games. The JackJumpers hauled in 19 offensive rebounds to New Zealand’s 9 and forced 18 Breakers turnovers while committing just 10, and Herbert didn’t shy away from it.

“Their energy was better than ours. Their work ethic was better than ours,” he said.

“Giving up 19 offensive rebounds and having 18 turnovers is not the recipe for success.”

The Breakers will now get a full week at home to freshen up before they head back on the road to face the Cairns Taipans next Sunday.