Faltering Breakers Feeling Weight of Expectation

Just three weeks ago the Breakers were flying high in second on the ladder. Now, after seven losses in its last nine games, New Zealand is feeling the heat.

Last night’s heart-stopping finish against the Hawks could have been so different. After captain Tom Abercrombie stripped Sam Froling and threw down a ferocious dunk with just 10 seconds remaining, all signs pointed to a come from behind win for the home side.

Then Tyler Harvey hit one of the shots of the century.

Breakers head coach Mody Maor says his team is feeling the added pressure of competing for a finals position.

“We’re obviously playing with a little bit of weight on our shoulders,” Maor said post-game. “We worked very hard to be in the position we’re in with the record we have – or had.

“When [you have] something you work really hard for and you really cherish then you’re a little bit scared to lose it sometimes. That playoff spot for us is extremely precious, it was our main goal when we started the season.

“I truly believe this is a growing step for our group and that all the work we’ve put in is gong to show. We’re going to overcome, play better, win games and achieve our goals.”

“We’ve had a tough couple of years and playing games that mean something at this time of year – I’m happy we’re in this position,” Abercrombie added.

“These games are fun, it’s not fun to lose them because they mean more but it’s a good position to be in. It’s the kind of basketball you want to play.”

Harvey’s half-court heave will go down in history as one of the most incredible shots the NBL has ever seen, not least because of the context behind what the win means for the struggling Hawks.

Although his foot was on the Hungry Jack’s logo at the half-court, Harvey managed to put the shot up uncontested after already knocking down a number of tough triples on the evening.

Abercrombie, who was tasked with defending Harvey for that final possession, wishes he could have played that possession differently.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">TYLER HARVEY TO WIN THE GAME. HE IS MAGIC ?<br><br>UNRIVALLED DRAMA<br><br>WHAT A GAME OF NBL BASKETBALL ? <a href="https://t.co/218UNw8XkS">pic.twitter.com/218UNw8XkS</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1615989417155637250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“I never should have left him alone coming over half-court. I messed that up and switched off him,” Abercrombie reflected.

“You still don’t expect him to shoot it from there but that’s the kind of confidence and freedom Harvey has in that team, and he had some tough ones tonight and that one was obviously the cherry on top.

“It’s one of those ones you wish you could have back and do it differently. It definitely hurts, it’s really disappointing.”

Maor, however, absolved his captain of any blame and says a one-possession game comes down to far more than the final shot.

“At the end of the game you want to contest every shot, we had fouls to use and we could have used them intelligently in situations but that’s the way the game breaks,” he said.

“I don’t believe games come down to one possession, this being a one possession game is something we can look back at another 50 possessions offensively and defensively and that’s what we’re going to do.”

New Zealand will look to get chalk up their 14^th win of the season when they play the Kings in Sydney on Sunday.