The NZ Breakers have returned home and to winning form with an 89-85 victory over the Perth Wildcats in the Australian National Basketball League (ANBL).
American guard Matt Mooney was in electrifying form, scoring a game-high 28 points (8/14 FG, 7/10 3pt, 5/5 FT) on 57 percent from the field in front of a vocal home crowd at Auckland's Spark Arena on Saturday night.
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Mooney's ability to knock down shots from deep was key, as he hit seven three-pointers from 10 attempts. His offensive explosion was especially vital during the Wildcats’ third-quarter surge, where Perth threatened to claw back the hosts’ lead.
Complementing Mooney’s effort was forward Max Darling, whose efficient performance gave the Breakers an important presence inside.
Darling finished with 15 points (5/7 FG, 4/6 3pt) on 71 percent shooting, and his contributions in the paint - four rebounds and two blocks - provided a necessary counterbalance to the Wildcats’ size.
Darling’s offensive impact was felt early, converting 4-of-6 triples to help stretch the Wildcats’ defence. His ability to finish around the rim also forced Perth to collapse on him, opening up space for shooters like Mooney to operate on the perimeter.
Point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright had an off-shooting night but again led the offence well, finishing with 13 points (5/21 FG, 1/8 3pt), nine assists, five steals and a block, while Mojave King had 10 points (4/7 FG) off the bench.
The Breakers now prepare to take the court on Thursday night when they host South East Melbourne Phoenix at Christchurch's Wolfbrook Arena.
After Bryce Cotton left the court injured early in the contest, former Breakers guard Tai Webster and Kristian Doolittle stepped up to lead the charge for Perth, with Webster scoring 20 points and Doolittle posting a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
The game was tense as Perth closed the gap to just four points late in the third quarter.
In the final minutes, it was the Breakers’ defence that came up clutch. Freddie Gillespie, who had a strong game off the bench, pulled down eight rebounds and made two key blocks in the final quarter, helping stifle the Wildcats’ offence.
Breakers head coach Petteri Koponen said it was a great feeling to come away with the result in front of a large home crowd.
“It was a good game from us. It was nice being back at home in front of our fans. A big thank you to our fans - they gave us an extra push when we needed that,” Koponen said.
“As well, a shoutout to our bigs tonight. We had a big conversation after our last game that we needed to screen and make contact to get our shooters open and I thought they did a great job of that tonight.
“We will just enjoy this great win and then go from there and get better. Like I’ve said from the beginning it’s a great group of guys who every day come with the right attitude to the gym.”