The Breakers have sealed a home semifinal after finishing the regular season with their fifth straight win in basketball's NBL.
Tom Abercrombie for the Breakers. New Zealand Breakers v Cairns Taipans. NBL Basketball, Spark Arena, Auckland, New Zealand on Sunday 15 January 2023. © Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
A crucial steal from captain Tom Abercrombie wrapped up a 80-75 overtime win over Brisbane in Brisbane on Saturday night.
The result meant the Breakers finished second overall behind the Sydney Kings and advanced straight to the semifinals, where they would have home-court advantage.
It capped off an impressive bounce-back season for the New Zealand side, who won just five games in a 2021-22 campaign where they played all their games on the road.
Trailing by as many as 12 in the second quarter, and six at halftime, the visitors produced an 18-12 third quarter to level the game up going into the final stanza.
The Breakers edged ahead and had a five-point buffer late in the fourth quarter but that was quickly erased as the Bullets scored six unanswered points to retake the lead.
Rob Loe hit one free-throw but missed a potentially game-winning second, sending the game to overtime where Abercrombie came up with the clutch play to seal the deal.
The Breakers, who were into the playoffs for the first time since they won their last title in 2015, were set to play their final four series against the winner of the third versus fourth playoff between Cairns and Tasmania.
- RNZ
