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SYDNEY - The New Zealand Breakers' horror Australian National Basketball League (ANBL) road trip ended when they were pipped 86-85 by Sydney Spirit here last night.
In a thriller, the Spirit's Graeme Dann sunk a freethrow with one second left on the clock to seal the upset victory after the Breakers' Tony Ronaldson was called for a desperate late foul.
The match looked headed for overtime after Breakers guard Kirk Penney nailed a pressure three-pointer with six seconds left to tie it up 85-85.
But Ronaldson nudged Dann as he raced towards the basket for the matchwinner, and Dann held his nerve to send the Whitlam Centre crowd of barely 1000 into a frenzy.
It was back-to-back defeats for the Breakers who lost 94-111 to the Hawks in Wollongong 24 hours earlier, having crossed the Tasman as ANBL competition leaders on win percentage over Melbourne's South Dragons.
Last night's defeat - just their third from 10 away matches in 2008-09 - saw them remain in second spot with a 15-6 record and a top-of-the-table clash with the Dragons looming in Melbourne next Saturday.
Kirk Penney led the way again with 23 points for the Breakers while forward Rick Rickert chimed in with 19 points and 10 rebounds, but it wasn't enough. The Spirit were led by 18 points from robust forward Matt Knight while veteran Australian guard Jason Smith scored 16.
For a second night the Breakers struggled without their key point guard CJ Bruton, out with an ankle injury.
Any thoughts of an easy kill in Sydney's western suburbs, in the modest surrounds of Liverpool's Whitlam Centre gym, quickly evaporated.
The newly-formed Spirit franchise hit hard times in their debut year, and required a financial bailout from the ANBL and a 40 per cent wage cut for the players. It prompted several to walk out for greener pastures.
But they still had some class acts like Smith, and showed more heart than their better-credentialed visitors in the first half to lead 24-23 and 45-43 at the first two breaks.
It was a tough night for the ANBL's leading scorer Penney, who hit 30 points in Wollongong. He had a memorable duel with Smith and fell heavily to the court no fewer than five times under heavy guard.
The Breakers' offence was rusty early on, and they again conceded easy second chance points to the Spirit for whom Knight was a menacing presence.
There was an early third quarter flashpoint when Breakers guard Paul Henare fouled his former Tall Blacks teammate Tony Rampton who angrily lifted an elbow, the teams rushed together but peace was restored.
The Breakers finally settled and strung together some offence, winning the third quarter 25-19 to take a four-point buffer into the final stanza.
When Penney hit back-to-back three-pointers early in the final quarter the Breakers led 78-72, but they couldn't finish the job.
Sydney Spirit 86 (Matt Knight 18, Jason Smith 16, Drew Williamson 12) New Zealand Breakers 85 (Kirk Penney 23, Rick Rickert 19, Phill Jones 13). Halftime: Spirit 45-43.
- NZPA
