Breakers Lock In, Catch Fire to Thrash 36ers

The New Zealand Breakers enhanced their reputation as one of the NBL’s premier road teams and hit back at doubts about their three-point shooting with a thumping 99-70 win over the Adelaide 36ers in Adelaide on Friday night.

The Breakers improved their record away from home to 4-1 while also keeping pace with the teams at the top of the ladder while shooting a stunning 15/30 from long range.

What was again most impressive about the Breakers' performance was that it all started at the defensive end. 

They enhanced their hold as being the best defensive team in the league this season especially when you take out the aberration last Thursday at home to the South East Melbourne Phoenix when they gave up 99 points. 

They are now only conceding 67.6 points in five of their last six games, which have all been wins.

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When you add in their offence finding their groove by putting up the 99 points to blow the 36ers away while going 54 per cent from the field and 50 per cent from three-point land, and this New Zealand team is looking ominous.

Jarrell Brantley led the Breakers with 22 points, nine rebounds and four steals while Barry Brown Jr had 22 points in 22 minutes off the bench.

Izayah Le'afa added 15 points and three steals with Will McDowell-White contributing 10 points and seven assists, and Rayan Rupert nine points and three rebounds.

Breakers coach Mody Maor said he was confident his side’s outside shooting would come good based on the calibre of shooters on the roster.

"Shooting 50 per cent is a lot - you don’t aim for 50 per cent and this is more than you expect," Maor said.

"We were shooting about 27 per cent from three and we took a good look at our shooting over the past two weeks and were happy with the shots we had been creating - most of them were catch-and-shoot threes, uncontested and from good shooters so it was just a matter of time until it drops."

The Sixers struggled at the offensive end giving up 19 turnovers and making just 4/18 from the three-point line as the Breakers showed why they are rated as the best defensive team in the league so far this season.

Kai Sotto top-scored for the Sixers with 16 points in 13 minutes while Antonius Cleveland scored 14 points. Craig Randall II only took seven field goals and made five for 11 points but had four turnovers. Robert Franks added 11 points but also three turnovers.

Sixers coach CJ Bruton said his side was still in its formative stages with seven new players and it showed with a greater focus needed from their defence and ball-retention.

"It's not like we've been together three months, and we're working it out," Bruton said.

"We've played less than five games. So it's early days for us and we need to continue to get better and keep improving."

Bruton sat Randall II for the final term and the pair appeared to have an animated conversation at half-time but Bruton said he chose to rest Randall with an eye to Sunday.

"I want Craig to be the best player he can be and knowing that we were playing two games this weekend [I rested him]," Bruton said.

"I asked him to get everyone involved and he was doing that and trying his best. He was frustrated that I took him out for shooting a ball or something but that’s not the case.

"He’s new in his competition and I’m just trying to get him to understand the league and our team."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Breakers have all the options tonight ? ?<br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL23</a> on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel ? <a href="https://t.co/6oEoIcCRU0">pic.twitter.com/6oEoIcCRU0</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1585933634103492608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Jarrell Brantley and centre Derek Pardon looked to establish themselves inside early in the game as their rebounding and power play made life difficult for the Sixers although a late flurry from Craig Randall II dragged Adelaide back as the Breakers led 24-22 at quarter-time.

Sixers centre Kai Sotto burst into the contest to start the second term knocking down seven points including a spinning lay-up after being fouled as the home side tried to remain in the lead.

But Brantley was a constant menace for the Breakers as was Pardon as the Sixers struggled to keep them off the boards and away from the basket with Barry Brown setting up Brantley for a lay-up and a 38-33 lead late in the quarter.

Next Stars signing Rayan Rupert helped extend that lead with a steal and dunk as the Breakers led 46-38 with the Sixers hurting themselves with nine turnovers for the half.

The Sixers’ offence continued to splutter in the third quarter and the Breakers kept on building their lead to 18 points with Brantley scoring inside and Brown and Cam Gliddon firing away from outside.

The Breakers kept firing away heading into the break with Brantley, Gliddon and Brown all connected on threes to make it 74-50 heading into the final quarter.

New Zealand kept on firing in the last pushing their lead to 31 points at one stage although Sotto gave the home side a late highlight with two dunks.

Both teams now back up to play again in Round 5 on Sunday with the Breakers at home to the rested and in-form Tasmania JackJumpers. The 36ers hit the road looking to bounce back against the South East Melbourne Phoenix.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 5

ADELAIDE 36ERS 70 (Sotto 16, Cleveland 14, Franks 11, Randall 11)

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 99 (Brown 22, Brantley 22, Le'afa 15) 

BOX SCORE