Basketball: Breakers beat Adelaide 36ers by one point

By JULIE ASH

The New Zealand Breakers gave their Australian basketball league rivals the message tonight by edging out the Adelaide 36ers 111-110.

It was the Breakers' first game in the Australian NBL.

The Sixers, who finished fifth in the league last year, struggled to contain a fired-up Breakers side in the first half at the North Shore Events Centre.

But they came back strongly in the last quarter, giving Breakers' fans some nerve-racking minutes.

Adelaide coach Phil Smyth was making his first visit to New Zealand since he coached the Boomers in a series loss against the Tall Blacks in 2001 which eliminated them from last year's world championships.

With a vocal crowd of 3300 behind them, the Breakers showed little sign of nerves as the starting lineup of Paul Henare, Phill Jones, Dillon Boucher, Ben Melmeth and Casey Frank took their first steps in the Australian league.

Jones landed the first points of the game, a clean three- pointer, and the crowd erupted.

But Boucher's defensive work had the most impact in the early stages, giving the Breakers a handy 20-9 lead midway through the first quarter.

They then went on a points-scoring mission, and led 44-25 at the end of the first quarter.

A series of fouls and missed shots allowed Adelaide back, and with four minutes to play in the second quarter they trailed the New Zealanders by only six points.

But spurred on by chants of "let's go, Breakers, let's go," the home side strung together some breathtaking passages of play - often involving forward Frank Casey - and went to the halftime break with a 14-point lead, 69-55.

Returning to their starting line-up, the Breakers went out to a 20-point lead early in the third quarter as the Sixers struggled to combat Melmeth's height and power.

But a series of fouls against the Breakers and two Charles Thomas' three-pointers enabled Adelaide to close the gap to eight at three-quarter time.

The Breakers ran into more foul trouble early in the last quarter and their lead was reduced to four.

While they struggled to find the hoop, the Sixers were having no trouble down their end.

Up 110-105 with 70 seconds to play, the Breakers called a time out.

The Sixers immediately replied with a three-pointer, taking the score to 110-108.

Disaster then struck the Breakers when Aaron Olson was fouled, handing the Sixers two free throws.

Thomas nailed these, tying the game at 110-all.

Time was called again, then the Breakers were awarded two free throws in the last minute and Melmeth landed his second shot.

The Sixers then lost possession in their goal area just as time was up, handing the Breakers their memorable first win.

Melmeth was the Breakers' top points scorer with 29. Jones and Olson each got 20.

The Breakers were to leave for Cairns early tomorrow morning to prepare for their game against the Taipans on Friday night.