A 40 Point Reality Check for the Breakers
The NZ Breakers have come up well short in their tilt at the Australian NBL's elusive 'Doomsday Double', crashing 114-74 at the Perth Wildcats tonight.
The resounding defeat at the defending champion's near impregnable home fortress is the New Zealand club's first this new season, dropping them to 5-1 after their record start.
The Breakers were never in it, following on from their meritorious victory at the Adelaide 36ers on Friday night, trailing by nine at the first break, 13 at the half and by as many as 23 in the third quarter as the Wildcats exacted a fair measure of revenge for their week-two defeat in Auckland.
It took the Kiwis three and a-half minutes of the final quarter to score, by which time the Cats had extended their lead to 29 and well and truly put the contest on ice.
Kevin Braswell had 16 points (5/15 FG), Gary Wilkinson 14 (7/9 FG) and Mika Vukona added 11 points and eight rebounds to lead the way for the outclassed Beakers who shot just 32 percent from the field and were a woeful eight-of-33 from long range. They were also outrebounded 52-37 and had 23 turnovers (to 12) in the 40-point shellacking.
The Cats were led by former Breaker Shawn Redhage's spectacular double-double of 32 points and 10 rebounds, with able suport from Stephen Weigh (16 points/eight boards), Damian Martin (12 points/12 rebounds) and Kevin Lisch who had 11 of his 14 points in the opening quarter.
The Breakers will welcome Kirk Penney back from his travels for their next match at home against the Wollongong Hawks on Friday night.
Perth Wildcats 114 (Shawn Redhage 32, Stephen Weigh 16, Kevin Lisch 14, Damian Martin 12), NZ Breakers 74 (Kevin Braswell 16, Gary Wilkinson 14, Mika Vukona 11, CJ Bruton ). 1Q: 33-24; HT: 58-45; 3Q: 82-64.
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