Breakers blitz Bullets in NBL rout

Darren Snowdon | November 27, 2022

The New Zealand Breakers’ rise to legitimate NBL championship contenders continues to gather momentum after they crushed Brisbane 116-79 at Spark Arena for a fourth straight win and their 10th in 12 games.

The home side on Sunday came agonisingly close to a club record for points scored in the opening half of a 40-minute game, running up 65 points by halftime on their way to the league’s highest score this season.

Izayah Le’afa sparked New Zealand’s offensive explosion by making 7-of-9 shots, including 4-of-5 triples, to compile 21 points in the first half as the Breakers surged ahead by as many as 30 in the second quarter before the Bullets reduced the gap to 18 at the main break.

The stats sheet told the story for the Breakers as they finished the half with 63 per cent shooting, 10-of-15 three-pointers and a 26-12 advantage for points in the paint.

New Zealand went on with the job in the second half to top 100 points for the first time this season with Jarrell Brantley finishing with a team-high 29 points and Barry Brown Jr adding 17.

Despite the record-setting offensive performance by the Breakers, coach Mody Maor seemed more pleased with the way his squad stepped up defensively in the second half.

The Breakers eclipsed the previous season-high score of 110 by Melbourne United against the South East Melbourne Phoenix, while their 37-point margin topped the season’s previous best, their own 32-point victory over Tasmania back in round five.

Their first-half haul of 65 points was just behind the club’s record of 67 against the Gold Coast Blaze in 2011.

“We need to learn how to be great when we win. I did not like that second quarter – we gave up 47 points in the first half,” Maor said after New Zealand improved to 10-3 for the season.

“That is not our team, this is not how we play, I don’t care what the score is. I’m very proud of how the guys responded. It shows me that they understand who we are and what we want to be.”

The home side held a 30-21 lead at quarter time, with Le’afa scoring 10 points and frontcourt duo Brantley and Pardon taking advantage of Brisbane’s depleted big-man stocks.

A 12-1 start to the second quarter stretched New Zealand’s lead up to 20 points and Le’afa’s hot shooting ensured his side closed with their best first-half tally of the season despite the Breakers scoring just one basket in the final two minutes.

The result capped a tumultuous week for Brisbane following the sacking of head coach James Duncan and the loss of centre Aron Baynes and Tyrell Harrison to injury.

Interim coach Sam Mackinnon had a debut to forget as the Bullets crashed to their biggest loss of the season.