Tigers 86 Breakers 81
The Melbourne Tigers confirmed their status as the New Zealand Breakers' bogey team, beating them 86-81 in the Australian National Basketball League match in Melbourne last night.
The Tigers made it five consecutive wins against the Breakers who came crashing back to earth after a season-opening 95-75 win over Cairns Taipans in Auckland last week.
Before a near-sellout crowd of around 3000 at The Cage, the Tigers stamped their early title hopes against the pre-season favourites who were expected to be too strong with a game under their belts.
A key to the Tigers' victory was an effective shutdown of free-scoring Breakers guards Kirk Penney (4/15 field goals, 16 points) and CJ Bruton (3/10, 8 points) who dominated against the Taipans.
The Tigers led 60-57 at three-quarter time and maintained their lead through the final period.
Two quick three-pointers from veteran Breakers forward Tony Ronaldson in the dying minutes got the visitors within reach but the buffer was too great.
Ronaldson led all scorers with 21 points with Penney next best with 16, and new import Awvee Storey chiming in with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Both sides shot an identical 43 per cent from the field and while the Tigers were poor from three-point range they out-rebounded the Breakers 43-30.
Mark Worthington was the Tigers' topscorer with 17 points.
The Breakers were confident of averting their poor run against last season's beaten grand finalists who eliminated them with back-to-back defeats in the semifinals.
The Tigers were missing several big-game players from last season, notably veteran international Chris Anstey (hip), David Barlow (overseas) and import Ebi Ere who didn't return.
The Breakers led 29-22 at the first quarter break and looked set to take control of the contest against a rusty home side in their first outing of the season.
But sluggish defence allowed the Tigers some easy transition baskets and they quickly hauled back the deficit as the Breakers led just 43-42 at the main break.
The taller Tigers out-rebounded the Breakers 24-14 in the first half but couldn't make the most of their chances, shooting just 40 per cent to the visitors' 50 per cent from the field and a woeful one of nine from three-point range.
The Breakers play Adelaide in game two of their Australian tour on Saturday night before hosting Melbourne next Thursday.
- NZPA
