NBL: Gritty NZ Breakers on rise after taking out Melbourne United

New Zealand Breakers moved into second spot on the NBL ladder after beating Melbourne United.

Breakers guard DJ Newbill, left, takes it up to United’s Casper Ware yesterday. Picture: AAP

New Zealand Breakers moved into second spot on the NBL ladder after an 88-76 victory over Melbourne United yesterday.

The local fans were keen to see their star-studded team in action for the first time at Hisense Arena but New Zealand restricted United to a season-low points tally in a physical encounter. It was the Breakers’ first away win of the season to improve to a 3-1 record.

Tom Abercrombie landed 21 points for the Kiwi team, and import duo Edgar Sosa (17 points) and DJ Newbill (15 points) controlled the backcourt while holding United scorers Casper Ware and Chris Goulding to a combined 13 points for the night.

United’s Josh Boone dominated in the paint with 22 points and 14 rebounds.

While Melbourne’s Casey Prather finished with 20 points, six boards and five assists, the Breakers made the decisive run at the start of the third quarter with the American on the bench with four fouls.

Prather and Boone combined for 19 of United’s 22 points in the opening term but honours were even at the first change.

Newbill and Sosa started hitting from outside for New Zealand in the second quarter but a stretch of three straight baskets from Boone, including consecutive dunks, maintained Melbourne’s edge approaching halftime. But the Breakers took advantage of United’s ill-discipline to lead 45-43 at the main break with Tai Wesley’s post-buzzer tech foul handing the visitors two free throws to open the third term.

With Prather sitting out, back-to-back triples from Abercrombie launched the Breakers into action as they pushed out to a 62-49 lead.

Melbourne coach Dean Vickerman put Prather back in the game and he made an immediate impact by assisting on a Goulding three-pointer, then scoring five points to cut the lead to four. But New Zealand steadied to take a 72-60 lead at the final change.

AAP