Basketball: Breakers beaten after collapse in last quarter

Tony Ronaldson of the New Zealand Breakers runs the ball forward during the round 16 NBL match against the Melbourne Tigers. Photo / Getty Images

A last quarter collapse has seen the New Zealand Breakers beaten 89-94 by Melbourne in an Australian National Basketball League match at Auckland tonight.

The defeat, coming on the heels of three straight away losses, sees the Breakers' hopes of a top four playoffs spot in the Australian National Basketball league rapidly dimming.

With Mark Worthington sinking a game-high 27 points with able support from Chris Anstey, 24, and Julius Hodge, 23, Melbourne overturned a 26-32 halftime deficit by running away in the final quarter during which they outscored the Breakers 32-12.

There was no sign of lack of belief in team as the Breakers came out firing from the tipoff to take the first quarter 26-18 with Kirk Penney and Tony Ronaldson leading the way.

They won a closely contested second quarter 19-18 to go into halftime leading by six points.

The Breakers took out the third quarter 32-26 and no home fan would have foreseen their side's dramatic collapse as the sides lined up for the final quarter.

Worthington, Hodge and Anstey stepped up their shooting and rebounding in the final quarter to punch Melbourne into the lead with two minutes and six seconds to go.

A Ronaldson three-pointer put the Breakers briefly back into the lead at 87-86.

But Anstey then scored from outside the semicircle with 1min 26secs to go to give Melbourne a lead which the Breakers were unable to catch.

Ronaldson topscored for the Breakers with 27 points while Penney had 22 but the best of the rest were Ricky Rickert and CJ Bruton with 10 each.

- NZPA