Basketball: New Zealand Breakers book home-court advantage for NBL semifinals with overtime win over Brisbane

Tom Abercrombie (centre) made a huge defensive play to guide the NZ Breakers to a win over Brisbane. Photo / Getty Images.

With their shot at home advantage in the NBL semifinals on the line and time ticking away in overtime, it was left to New Zealand Breakers captain Tom Abercrombie to steer his ship home.

The Breakers captain has been a pillar of the club for 15 years, experiencing its highest highs and lowest lows. While his body feeling the pain of a long, physical game, the 35-year-old pulled off another special play for his highlight reel to ensure there would be more NBL basketball in Auckland very soon.

It wasn’t supposed to play out as it did though. Abercrombie – who coach Mody Maor described as “limping and cramping” after the game – was substituted back in with his side up by three and 25 seconds left on the clock. After a planned defensive switch wasn’t executed, Abercrombie was left to guard ball-handler Nathan Sobey and was able to poke the ball away from the Brisbane guard near halfcourt as the Bullets tried to set a play to get back into the contest.

The Breakers recovered the loose ball, and subsequent free throws through Will McDowell-White closed out the 80-75 win and ensure they finished the regular season second on the ladder.

“It’s huge for us to complete that turnaround and finish in second place. To secure home advantage is absolutely massive and means a huge amount to all of us,” Abercrombie said of the win.

“I’m really happy we’ve put ourselves in this spot, for us, for everyone in the organisation and everyone in New Zealand. There have been so many people reaching out to me over the last couple of weeks, people getting back on the Breakers bandwagon and enjoying what we’re doing and how we’re playing.

“That’s just been music to my ears to know that the vision that Mody and all of us had at the beginning of the season to reconnect with New Zealand and be a team they can be proud of, that’s where the real satisfaction comes in. Collecting second place to cap that all off is an awesome feeling.”

It is the first time since the 2014-15 season that the Breakers have secured home-court advantage for the semifinals. That was also the year they won their last title.

It’s a good omen for the club, as all four times they have finished the regular season in the top two in the past, they have gone one to win the championship.

The club will now have almost two weeks without a game as they await the winner of the seeding qualifier between the Cairns Taipans and the Tasmania JackJumpers – a one-off game to see who will meet the Breakers, with the loser going on to the play-in qualifier for a chance to meet the first-placed Sydney Kings in the semifinals.

“It’s huge,” Maor said of the rest period ahead of their next game. “A few days off will be fantastic. I really like practice more than I like games, and I haven’t had a practice in a long time, so that’ll be fun for me.”