KEY POINTS:
CAIRNS - The New Zealand Breakers thrashed an injury-plagued Cairns Taipans 107-87 at the Cairns Convention Centre tonight, notching up their fourth consecutive Australian National Basketball League win.
Cairns' Larry Abney opened the scoring only seconds in but it was the New Zealanders who dominated the first quarter drubbing the home side 30-23.
New Zealand coach Andrej Lemanis said he was pleased with the result.
"We did perform well. Consistency for the whole time has to be the key, we have to be good for 48 minutes," he said.
"We have to be able to battle for that whole 48 minutes, we have to be ruthless."
Both sides favoured a close-range match with several dunks from Cairns rookie Nathan Jawai but tight shooting by the Breakers' Kirk Penney sealed the game.
An injury-plagued Taipans, who were missing Martin Cattalini to an Achilles complaint and star import Rashad Tucker, could never get in the zone.
But the Taipans' efforts were bolstered by the return of Aaron Grabau, who was briefly sidelined with a neck injury earlier in the season.
The return from injury of Penney was the turning point for New Zealand.
He repeatedly broke through the home side's defences, and despite repeated efforts by Cairns' high scorers Jawai and Abney the Taipans found themselves unable to break the 20-point deficit.
- AAP
