Perth Wildcats 89
The talismanic Kirk Penney led the way as the New Zealand Breakers kept alive their Australian National Basketball League title aspirations today.
The Auckland-based team extended their semifinals series to a third and deciding match by beating the Perth Wildcats 93-89 in the West Australian state capital.
Penney was irresistible as the long-time international shooting guard delivered 23 points in a hot first half alone before finishing with a haul of 38 points, the best individual collection in an ANBL game this season.
His contribution was crucial for a Breakers side coming off a heavy loss in the first match at Auckland last Thursday, when he produced a tame 14 points as the top qualifiers were humbled 78-101 on their home court.
There could be no complaints about Penney today, though, with successive three-pointers then two free throws giving his teammates valuable momentum at 38-31 ahead with a little more than five minutes remaining in the first half.
Coach Andrej Lemanis promptly gave him a much needed spell at this point but Penney was back on court in time to watch a Kevin Braswell three enable the Breakers to go into their halftime team talk up 49-42.
Perth, who dismantled the Breakers in the third quarter of the first match, again made their push during this period as they continued to attack on the inside.
Having attempted just eight three-pointers in the first spell they took the same route to the basket after the resumption as they sought out Matthew Knight to muscle his way under the basket.
Knight responded with a wonder field goal while totally off balance but he could not nail the resulting free throw as the Wildcats clawed their way to within three points.
But he then drew a foul from Penney as the difference was sliced to one after a fifth steal from Perth pick pocket guard Damian Martin before the Wildcats levelled up at 61-61 less than 3min from the end of the third stanza.
Perth got their nose in front on the back of a Jesse Wagstaff field goal which was laid on for him by Martin, who ended the game with 14 points, seven steals and five assists.
Roared on by a parochial crowd, the Wildcats entered the last quarter with a tenuous 65-63 lead and they had more to shout about when Breakers strongman Mika Vukona immediately committed his third personal foul to go with the four being nursed by Tom Abercrombie.
Big man Gary Wilkinson continued to throw himself about, though, and it was a three from him, following another long range effort from CJ Bruton, which saw the Breakers reclaim a lead which was changing hands at a quickening pace.
Suffocating defence had quietened Penney and when Bruton fouled out with more than 5min remaining the Breakers were in need of inspiration.
Instead, their foul problems worsened when Abercrombie attracted his fifth before Braswell answered the call to land back-to-back threes and give the Breakers an 85-79 buffer with 1min remaining on the clock.
The third and deciding match is in Auckland on Wednesday night.
New Zealand Breakers 93 (Kirk Penney 38, Kevin Braswell 16, Gary Wilkinson 13, CJ Bruton 11) Perth Wildcats 89 (Matthew Knight 17, Jesse Wagstaff 16, Damian Martin 14). Halftime: 49-42.
Series tied 1-1. The third and deciding match is in Auckland on Wednesday night.
- NZPA
