Breakers Bash Past Taipans Despite 33-Point Edwards Masterclass
A thriller between league leaders the Breakers and the bottom-placed Taipans ended 77-69 in favour of New Zealand, despite a mammoth performance by Taipans sharpshooter Rob Edwards.
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A thriller between league leaders the Breakers and the bottom-placed Taipans ended 77-69 in favour of New Zealand, despite a mammoth performance by Taipans sharpshooter Rob Edwards.
The Breakers were powered by Matthew Mooney (15 points and three assists) and an overwhelming scoring punch from the bench (20 points to 7 points), handing the Taipans their eighth straight loss.
The Breakers led by double digits at the main break, but a second half fightback from the Snakes put the contest in the balance in the fourth quarter.
Edwards, who was spectacular throughout, fouled out late in the game, shifting the momentum in Breakers favour which followed a crucial 12-0 scoring run in the fourth quarter, which sealed the win.
17-year old rising star Karim Lopez (nine points and three rebounds) and Breakers sharpshooter Grant Anticevich (eight points and three rebounds) were outstanding from the opening quarter.
“We had solid contributions from the bench but it’s been like this all season,” Breakers coach Petteri Koponen said.
“I trust the guys and it was a big reason we were fresh (in the fourth quarter) and won the game.
“Karim is taking the league by storm. The last few weeks he’s been improving (at a high rate), his length and athleticism. He’s an unbelievable young kid and a big part of the team.”
Breakers superstar Peter Jackson-Cartwright wasn’t at his scoring best after being limited by Taipans defender Jonah Antonio, finishing with 11 points (3-of-11 shooting), five assists, and three turnovers.
Breakers big man Freddie Gillespie, whose future with the team remains uncertain, added eight points and eight rebounds.
Detroit Deadeye
Taipans guard Rob Edwards unleashed a scoring clinic in front of a packed home crowd, finishing with 33 points and five rebounds.
The Detroit native had a monster first half, scoring 22 points, more than half of his team’s total at the break.
The next highest scorer for the Taipans at the half was Jonah Antonio, with just six points.
“He was keeping us in it,” Taipans coach Adam Forde said post game.
“At different stages throughout the game he was the only reason the scoreboard was ticking over.”
Unfortunately for Edwards and the Orange Army, the scoring machine fouled out midway through the fourth quarter following an unsuccessful coach’s challenge on an offensive foul against Peter Jackson-Cartwright.
Heading into Round 9, Edwards — who returned from a one-game suspension — ranked second among qualified players for three-pointers made per game (3.3).
He had just set a career-high seven three-pointers in his last appearance against the Bullets. The 27-year-old continued his shooting streak from range, nailing four three-pointers in the game.
Taipan’s next highest scorer at the final whistle was Akoldah Gak with 11 points and eight rebounds, with Taran Armstrong (five points and six assists), Sam Waardenburg (four points and three assists) and Tanner Groves (four points and one assist before fouling out) struggling to have a strong offensive influence.
Big Sam Returns
Breakers centre Sam Mennenga made his return to the Snakepit for the first time, facing his former team. The 22-year-old big man left the Taipans in the off-season after struggling to cement a spot in coach Adam Forde’s starting five.
Mennenga, a New Zealand native, chose to return home and has since become a starter at centre under Breakers coach Koponen. He finished with 12 points, three rebounds and two assists.
Rebounding Woes Continue
Rebounding, both defensively and offensively, has been a consistent issue for the Taipans throughout NBL25. The problem has been exacerbated by star import Tanner Groves missing a significant portion of the season. However, with Groves now back in the line-up for the past two games — albeit on a minutes restriction — the issue persists.
In the first half, the Taipans were dominated on the boards, finishing with just 11 total rebounds and four offensive rebounds. They were unable to keep pace with the Breakers in this area, who were more aggressive on the glass with 24 total rebounds and 13 offensive rebounds.
“They kicked our butts again in the final stages of the fourth quarter,” Forde said.
“Again, we have another fourth quarter fade out, off the back of shot selection and back-to-back possessions with second chance points that New Zealand were able to capitalise on. We have bigs that need to be better.”
While the Taipans did manage to even up the rebounding stats in the second half during their comeback, the deficit in points and rebounds — especially in the first half and during the closing stage of the fourth — ultimately contributed to their loss.
Originally published as Breakers Bash Past Taipans Despite 33-Point Edwards Masterclass
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