The Breakers led for all of 39 seconds before the final change, with an aggressive and determined Perth outfit in control for almost the entire match, except when it counted.  At one stage the visitors led by as many 13.

Braswell knocked down 21 points to instigate his flat team's revival.  He was well supported by Thomas Abercrombie and CJ Bruton, who each drained 17 points at the North Shore Event Centre.

Former Breaker Shawn Redhage led all scorers with 26 and Wildcats guard Kevin Lisch, who finished with 21, was lethal from three-point range.

The win made it two from two to start the year after the Breakers toppled the reintroduced Sydney Kings 83-70 last week, while championship-favourite Perth fell to a second loss. They were downed 69-74 by Adelaide last week.

It's a six-hour journey from Perth but the visitors were the ones on the ball, taking it to the Breakers' standoffish defence in the opening stanza.  The Wildcats, who had nine first-quarter scorers, lit it up from outside the perimeter, nailing five three-pointers with Lisch dropping in three of those.

Soft inside defence meant easy passages through the lanes for Perth, whose little men were left open outside the arc.  The home side trailed 23-33 at the first interval, but it could have been more.

Classy Braswell led a Breakers revival, not missing a shot on his way to 11 second quarter points, and a steal, to put his side 44-43 in front for the first time, although it lasted less than a minute.

An energetic Corey Webster added two neat moves to the hoop to keep the scoreboard ticking for the home side but Perth weren't about to lie down against their bitter rivals, with Redhage proving a constant physical threat.

Lisch worked the clock to perfection to drop in the final shot on the buzzer as the Wildcats took a deserved 55-49 half-time advantage.

A flat and disjointed start to the second half saw Perth spring out to an 11-point lead with New Zealand turnovers proving costly.  Redhage continued to knock baskets down with ease, whether that be off the glass or from a pull-up jumper and the Breakers had no answers. 

CJ Bruton came to life in the third period but it was not enough to stop his side falling behind 70-78 at the final change.

The Breakers reverted to a full-court press and picked up their hustle in the final term and it worked. Perth missed shots and threw away possession and when Bruton knocked down a huge three-pointer, and Braswell followed suit, to snatch an 89-86 lead – an improbable victory suddenly seemed possible.

Redhage hit two clutch free throws and the Wildcats had a chance to win it with 13 seconds left, but they could not convert.

New Zealand Breakers 96 (Braswell 21, Bruton 17, Abercrombie 17)  
Perth Wildcats 94 (Redhage 26, Lisch 21, Martin 11)

Boxscore