Breakers downed in double overtime by Kings
The Breakers took the defending champions and current ladder leaders Kings into double overtime but ultimately were shaded 111-102 in Sydney,
In their second game without Parker Jackson-Cartwright and with replacement import Skylar Mays not yet with the team, the Breakers backed up after their overtime win over Brisbane less than 48 hours earlier to push the Kings to the limit.
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Kouat Noi led the Breakers scoring effort on a day when he was presented with his NBL26 Championship Ring earned with today’s opponents, Noi used that adrenalin to good effect with 32 points (four of nine from deep) in a breakout offensive performance.
Carlin Davison again stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, nine rebounds and a career high 15 assists – his sixth career double double and fifth this season.
Charles Bediako showed his continued adjustment to life in the NBL with a double double of his own, 18 points and 10 rebounds as he stepped up with Sam Mennenga down on energy and minutes as he continues to bravely battle through illness.
DJ Vasiljevic backed up from his 36 points against Brisbane with 22 points on seven of 13 shooting and Mojave King hinted at a return to form with 13 points, making two of four from deep.
The game started as it would go on for the entire game, close with multiple lead changes – there would be 21 of them by the end of the second overtime period. Sydney would edge ahead and in the second quarter extended by 11 points, only for the Breakers to find a way and claw them back.
The visitors did have an unlikely look at winning the game with .9 of a second left on an inbounds play at the end of regulation, but Sydney survived and went on to go clear of a tiring Breakers side in the second extra five-minute period.
Noi had kept his side in the contest in the fourth quarter, with 19 points, including several deep contested threes’ that quietened the crowd and reminded everyone of his scoring ability.
In the end, the Kings went clear one final time in the second overtime period and the BNZ Breakers for once, could not find an answer. What they illustrated however, was an ability to go toe to toe with the best in the league, having already beaten Sydney once this season and the other grand finalist Adelaide.
Free throws hurt the Breakers, they got to the line plenty on the back of some aggressive offence and drives to the basket but could only convert 20 of their 34 attempts.
With December spent almost exclusively at home in New Zealand, they know a good run of wins is not beyond them, and with it the chance to move up a tightly contested NBL ladder.
The Breakers back up for an Ignite Cup by 7-Eleven match up with the South East Melbourne Phoenix at Spark Arena on Wednesday night.
Sydney Kings 111 (Kendric Davis 36 pts, Torrey Craig 17, Tyler Robertson 16, Xavier Cooks 13)
NZ Breakers 102 (Kouat Noi 32pts, DJ Vasiljevic 22, Charles Bediako 18, Mojave King 13)
