Breakers Beat Melbourne To Take Semifinal Edge

Blowing two big leads hardly seems an ideal ingredient for playoff success but the Breakers know more about that recipe than anyone else.

The four-time champions tonight showed exactly how they built a basketball dynasty, surviving a couple of major scares to take game one of their semifinal series against Melbourne United.

The Breakers ran hot and cold at Hisense Arena, establishing double-digit advantages in the first and fourth quarters but leaving it until the final minute to clinch the contest.

It was, inevitably, a combination of level heads and dominant defence that helped the Kiwi club seize a 1-0 lead in the series, giving themselves a chance to advance to the grand final at Vector Arena on Saturday night.

But the Breakers were unfazed by a 10,000 strong opposing crowd and they were similarly undaunted after squandering a 17-point lead in the first, almost doing likewise with a 12-point advantage in the fourth. Whenever Melbourne were threatening to land a game-changing blow, the Breakers leaned on their veterans and hit back with equal force.

Cedric Jackson, naturally, was the chief aggressor, scoring nine of his team-high 20 points in the final period to illustrate why his tenure with the Breakers always ends in glory. The two other keys in the offensive triumvirate, Tom Abercrombie and Corey Webster, combined for 30 points, while Mika Vukona was inspirational as always in recording 11 points, 13 rebounds and four steals.

Those efforts helped nullify 24 points from NBA veteran Hakim Warrick and 23 from MVP runner-up Chris Goulding, seeing the Breakers survive a pair of speed bumps that would have derailed lesser sides.

The first came in the second quarter when, after an almost flawless start in all facets saw the Breakers lead by 11 at the opening break, Warrick began to take control. The big man stepped off the bench to score 15 points in the first half, running roughshod over the Breakers to help his side on a 16-1 run.

Warrick was equally effective on defence, blocking shots and pulling down rebounds as the Breakers went ice-cold offensively to score just six points in eight second-quarter minutes. But, if the playoff rookies were unbowed by initially falling into such a big hole, the four-time champs were never about to panic when faced with their own slump.

Vukona's seven quick points led them back into battle in the third and Reuben Te Rangi's big three at the end of the period saw his side lead by four heading to the last. The Breakers were now thriving on the offensive glass to enjoy a timely 10-0 run and, although Melbourne pulled back within two possessions, the composed defending champs wouldn't be denied.

Melbourne 82 (Warrick 24, Goulding 23, Holt 13)
Breakers 91 (Jackson 20, Abercrombie 16, Webster 14)
HT: 41-38

NZ Herald