R15 Preview: NZ Breakers vs Perth Wildcats

When: 7.30pm (AEDT), Monday 14 March 2022

Where: MyState Bank Arena, Hobart

Broadcast: ESPN; Kayo; Sky Sport NZ


Who won last time?

Perth 98 (Cotton 32, Mooney 27, Blanchfield 18) d New Zealand 84 (Delany 21, T Webster 20, Abercrombie 12) – Round 17 2021, RAC Arena, Perth

After a hard-fought, half-court NBL21 season series, the Wildcats blew the finale out with a huge performance from their ‘big three’ Bryce Cotton, John Mooney and Todd Blanchfield combining for 77 points at 60 per cent from the field and 9/19 from deep. At the other end, Perth applied their trademark third-quarter lockdown to squeeze New Zealand out of the game.


What happened last start?

It might be a new era, but that post-interval defensive strangulation was back in Brisbane, allowing the Bullets just eight points in the third. It wasn’t a complete return to the stingy 'Cats of old, however, giving up 52 points in the paint, 58 points in the second and fourth quarters, and once again being outrebounded after edging United in that area on Thursday.

The Breakers got their defence going in Adelaide, holding the 36ers below 20 in three of the four quarters. Dan Shamir’s men have been inconsistent defending the three-point line this season, but got it right on Saturday, holding the Sixers to 3/23 from range. At the other end, Hugo Besson was superb on return, while Yanni Wetzell eased his way back from injury.


Who’s in form?

Vice – Why not have both? That was Perth’s thinking in the off-season and it’s paying dividends. In Perth’s four-game win streak, Vic Law has averaged 21.4ppg at 51 per cent and 12.5rpg, while Cotton has added 22.0ppg at 45 per cent. Impressively, they’ve combined for 8.8 assists per game, both willing and able to pick the help D apart to get teammates open.

Ousmane Dieng – Get a good look folks, because this special young talent is going places. After trouble adjusting to the standard of the NBL, France’s next big thing is seriously breaking out, averaging 15.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in his past four contests. His ability to rebound, run, slice through defence and finish with a soft touch is mighty tough to stop.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">??? <a href="https://t.co/PSaLOAPLQF">pic.twitter.com/PSaLOAPLQF</a></p>&mdash; Sky Sport Breakers (@NZBreakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/NZBreakers/status/1500021964252979201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Who needs to be?

Luke Travers – If there is a perfect match-up for Dieng it’s Travers, his equal for smooth-moving athleticism and a man who wants his place on the NBA draft board. Travers has averaged 10.1ppg at 48 per cent and 4.5rpg in his past eight games, his ability to clean the boards and initiate transition, and aggressively attack pressure D very important for Perth.

Yanni Wetzell – If Perth has a weakness it’s their frontcourt defence. In six losses, the leading opposition big man has averaged 21.5 points at 54 per cent. Given that before his injury the Pretzel was the NBL’s most prolific ‘roll man’, and his three games prior to back spasms delivered 20.3ppg at 62 per cent, a return to that form would be most welcome.


Who’s statting up?

 - In Perth’s best defensive quarter of the past five games, they’ve held opponents to just 13.4 points. In their least stingy period in those games they’ve conceded 25.4 points

 - The Wildcats are 24-6 over the past two seasons when Bryce Cotton dishes five assists or more, compared to 11-9 when he doesn’t.

 - New Zealand concede 47 points from two-point baskets, the most in the NBL. In wins they allow just 18 points from triples at 25 per cent, while in losses they leak 28.8 points from the arc at 40 per cent 

 - Peyton Siva is +51 in Breakers’ wins, while his side is -6 over the remainder over those games. When Siva doesn’t play, New Zealand are 0-5 and -70


Who’s matching up?

Peyton Siva v Mitch Norton – Mighty Mitch, who might reach six-foot in shoes, has scored 38 points in the past two games while taking just five shot attempts from more than a metre away from the basket. His lightning drives, intelligent cuts and calm decision-making have delivered 14.3ppg in the past six outings along with 26 assists and just six turnovers.

Defensively he faces Siva, who has dealt 28 dimes in the past four games. It’s his scoring that fuels New Zealand wins though, averaging 16.0ppg at 41 per cent from deep in victories, compared to 10.9ppg at 29 per cent in losses. He is most efficient shooting from hand-offs and kick-outs, meaning Norton needs to stay connected more and stray for steals less.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mitchell Norton, ladies and gentleman. <br><br>Steal ?<br>Three ?<br><br>? Live on ESPN via Kayo &amp; Foxtel <a href="https://t.co/SkS8ErXuJR">pic.twitter.com/SkS8ErXuJR</a></p>&mdash; Perth Wildcats (@PerthWildcats) <a href="https://twitter.com/PerthWildcats/status/1502555746810339328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Who’s talking the talk?

New Zealand coach Dan Shamir was a relieved man after his team’s tense, drought-breaking win over Adelaide.

While it may have taken the Breakers to a 5-13 record, Shamir wished he could start all over again with this group on the floor.

“I think it looked like a good game for the beginning of the season. Today was the first time we had the whole team, which is incredible,” he said.

“It didn’t look perfect, some players are recovering from what it is they are recovering from and not in total rhythm, and not everybody played together, but we put in the effort and we had fresher legs, we were a little bit more intense at the defensive end for more minutes of the game.

“We had our lapses, but overall shot the ball well, defended pretty good and I hope we can build from this.”

They will have a full roster again on Monday if Tom Abercrombie is cleared to play, and that’s exciting for Breakers fans.

 With quick rotations off the bench, shooters all over the floor and a quality interior target in Wetzell, the Kiwis looked like the team they were intended to be in Adelaide.

Hugo Besson was the chief beneficiary of the spread floor, manipulating screens with a maturity beyond his years, playing with a smile on his face and showing why he’s high in NBA mock drafts.

“I really enjoy how we’re playing at this time,” he said.

“I'm really improving, trying to be not just a scorer, try to do the right read, doing that every practice now and just improving. It’s a great season for me preparing for the next one, so I'm really enjoying it.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">YANNI WETZELL IS BACK <a href="https://t.co/pJSs8yICeR">pic.twitter.com/pJSs8yICeR</a></p>&mdash; Sky Sport Breakers (@NZBreakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/NZBreakers/status/1502580396143562753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“We have a great group of guys so when we’re all together on the court we’re a great team,” Besson added.

“We struggled because of the injuries and the season is tough for us away from our home crowd, so it’s great to be everyone here healthy, I hope it’s going to stay like that. It’s fun.”

Eastern Australia has become fun for the Wildcats, who have now claimed four road wins on the trot, and one more would equal their nine away wins each season from 2012 to 2014 when they played in three consecutive grand finals.

While this would exceed coach Scott Morrison’s expectations, he’s happy to aim higher.

“I guess you could say we reached that goal, but the funny thing is when you reach those goals you just keep changing them. I think we’re 8-5 on the road so now our goal is to be 9-5, but it’s not going to be easy,” he said.

“New Zealand are one of the teams I’ve been the most scared of all season. I think they’re really talented, they have a good back court, a good front court.

“They’ve had tough luck, which hasn’t made things easy for them but I believe they’re back at full strength today, so we’re going to get their best effort and we better be ready to play or they’ll jump all over us.”

Nothing’s been easy for Perth in their run of 14-straight road games, and it has been Vic Law who has stood tall to put his undersized team in second place, just 1.5 games behind Melbourne.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Vic Law runs the floor and drops trey! <a href="https://t.co/lVqClyYgzM">pic.twitter.com/lVqClyYgzM</a></p>&mdash; Perth Wildcats (@PerthWildcats) <a href="https://twitter.com/PerthWildcats/status/1502536806801485825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“Gutsy, I would say, especially his rebounding, we really needed a boost on the glass,” Morrison said of his import forward.

“Just thinking back to that game on Thursday night, I thought Vic’s rebounding in the second half was a big key to hold them off, and then the same thing today.

“He goes up with the giants, guys a lot bigger than him and comes own with a lot of 50-50 rebounds, that keeps us in games.”

He’s also making sure his teammates are in the game, dishing six dimes in the past two contests.

“I thought he made some great reads offensively. With great power comes great responsibility, I think Spiderman said that, and when you have the power to draw help and double coverages you’ve got to have the responsibility to make the right play and he’s been doing that all season,” Morrison said.

“It’s hard for teams to defend us when guys other than Vic and Bryce are scoring, and Mitch, LT, Todd, Jook, everyone that’s got a chance to play has provided some sort of scoring punch and made it tough for teams to help off them and give extra attention to the bigger names.”