Breakers ready for pace of 36ers

SKYCITY Breakers fans will get their moneys worth on Super Saturday with tickets starting at just $10 for adults for the visit of the Adelaide 36ers to Vector Arena in a rare Saturday night home game this weekend, but the players know they will be in a fast paced and open match when the Jerome Randle led 36ers hit the floor.

While fans might be licking their lips at the entertainment and value for money, the Breakers players and coaches know they will have to shut down two of the NBLs premier scorers in order to get the win at Vector Arena on Saturday night.

Jerome Randle was last seasons leading scorer in the competition, and has started this campaign in similar fashion, going at an impressive 23.8 points per game. He is lightening quick and hugely competitive, making for a formidable opponent down the stretch when temperament means as much as technique.

SKYCITY Breakers point guard Ben Woodside has experience of Randle from their respective time spent in Europe.

"I played against him a couple of times in Europe, it is always good going up against a player of his caliber, I am looking forward to it and know that we need to play some good defence on him on Saturday night.

"Randle is a great player and a tough guard to defend, he is leading the league in scoring and has a lot of different weapons with a pull up game, getting to the free throw line or he can get to the paint, he can shoot the three. It is a tough match up and he is someone you have to be concerned about and know where he is on the floor, it will be a fun night going up against him, he is a great player and a tough match up."

Not to be forgotten either is the threat of big man Daniel Johnson. Unlike Randle, Johnson has started the season relatively quietly in regards scoring, going at just over ten points per game and interestingly shooting just four of twelve from deep, an area of his game that is typically crucial to his teams fortunes.

SKYCITY Breakers centre Alex Pledger says that while Johnson will likely spend most of his time in the four spot, he has to be prepared to face Johnson in a one on one situation at some point on Saturday night.

"He is pretty versatile and can score inside and out. Over the last couple of years the amount of threes he takes and the percentage he shoots at is pretty high so while he is a threat down at the block, he is a threat from outside as well.

"For me my life is easier if I dont have to chase people around the three point line for sure but at some stage he will probably be in that centre spot in the game and I will have to do my best to make sure I close out on him to get him off that three point line. But at the same time he has good face up and ball handling ability as well so I have to be careful not to get blown-by either.

"It is always a fun game against Adelaide, I am pretty sure they are the fastest pace team in the league, they press and do stuff all over the floor and all run well. We like to play at speed as well - just perhaps not as fast as them, so if we can control the tempo and have that in our favour and avoid a track meet I think that will be good for us."

The home team is confident that they have their own weapons to trouble Adelaide, with Tom Abercrombie enjoying a consistent season so far, averaging 14 points a game and shooting at 55% from deep and Akil Mitchell finding his feet in the league, going at 12 points and six rebounds per game.

Add to that the scoring threat that is yet to emerge fully this season in Kirk Penney and Corey Webster and the Breakers are confident that a return to the scene of the opening round win over Melbourne will be a happy one for the club.

Adelaide come into the game with a three win two loss record while the Breakers sit on a one win three loss record, with both teams knowing that a win is important to maintain contact with the top of the league in this early stage of the season.

Next Home Game

SKYCITY Breakers v Adelaide 36ers

Super Saturday

Saturday 29 October

Vector Arena

7:30 tip off

6:00pm doors open

Adult tickets start at just $10 for this game!

http://www.nzbreakers.co.nz/ticketing/

- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Basketball New Zealand