The New Zealand Breakers have survived a major fourth-quarter scare to secure a hard-fought 90-85 triumph over the Adelaide 36ers at The Dome on Saturday.

Trailing by 21 points at three-quarter time after being held to an all-time club-record low seven points in the third quarter, the Sixers rallied on the back of some Brad Hill and Adam Ballinger heroics in the fourth term, only to fall just short.

Gary Wilkinson led the way for the Breakers with 27 points at 75 percent and nine boards, while Kirk Penney, who was everywhere in the final stanza, was the only other double-digit scorer for NZ (25 points, five rebounds). Tom Abercrombie had just eight points, but a game-high 13 rebounds.

Ballinger's 27 points came at 67 percent from both the field and from three-point territory, his 12-point fourth-quarter haul coming at six-of-seven shooting - gallant but not quite enough for the home side to conjure a miracle come-from-behind victory.

Hill (17 points, five rebounds, five steals) was the chief architect of Adelaide's late revival, while Aaron Bruce's 14 points and four assists were mitigated somewhat by six turnovers.

Adelaide led 25-23 at the end of a topsy-turvy opening term in which NZ won the battle of the boards 11-5 (including eight on the offensive glass), but the home side maintained parity by outshooting the Breakers 67 percent to 36 from the floor.

Rival big men and direct opponents Ballinger and Wilkinson waged an enthralling two-man battle, the ex-Michigan State Spartan and Adelaide skipper stroking two triples from as many attempts en route to 10 first-quarter points at 80 percent, while Wilkinson's quarter comprised eight points at 100 percent.

Ballinger maintained his efforts in the second term, but the Sixers continued to concede far too many offensive rebounds (13), NZ's 25-11 edge on the boards at half-time going a long towards the visitors fashioning a 50-42 lead at the main interval.

All five of Wilkinson's first-half boards were on the offensive end, more than Adelaide managed to haul in as a team up to half-time (three).

Wilkinson, a legitimate inside-outside threat, continued to dominate after the break, outscoring the home side single-handedly in the third period.

The former Utah State All-American rattled off NZ's first eight points for the term amid an overall 11-point tally.

The efforts of Wilkinson, who drew the ire of Adelaide forward Jeff Dowdell when the pair tangled under the Sixers' basket midway through the quarter, were a stark contrast to Adelaide's measly seven-point return for the quarter, the Sixers connecting at a miserable 17 percent clip, including 0-from-8 from behind the three-point arc as the Breakers' buffer extended to a commanding 70-49 at three-quarter time.

It was the worst quarter in 36ers history, surpassing the previous low of eight points against Perth almost exactly a year earlier.

Adelaide emerged a different team after the final break, Ballinger helping his side to a 12-4 start to the final period before Hill took over.

Hill, playing with renewed vigour, aggression and smarts under new coach Marty Clarke, scored nine successive points without reply in the space of 1:21, including a big three and an aggressive left-handed drive, to peg the difference back to nine points, 79-70 with 3:59 on the clock.

He continued to inspire (11 points, three rebounds, two assists, four steals for the quarter) and was well supported by Ballinger and Bruce as Adelaide clawed to within five points.

But the hosts left their run too late and NZ was able to hang on, Penney scoring the Breakers' last nine points.

The victory ensures the Breakers remain in top spot on the ladder with an 11-3 record, while the 36ers dip to 5-9 and further out of contention.

<b>Adelaide 36ers 85</b> (Ballinger 27, Hill 17, Bruce 14)
<b>New Zealand Breakers 90</b> (Wilkinson 27, Penney 25, Braswell 9)