Basketball: Breakers thrash Kings

The Breakers have started the season with three straight wins. Photo / Getty Images

The Breakers made it three from three on the road to start the Australian National Basketball League season, smashing the Sydney Kings 98-61 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on Saturday night.

The team set the third largest winning margin in the club's history and the biggest on the road while the 61 points conceded is also the third best defensive effort in the club's history.

With Sydney favoured going into the game on the back of their pre-season win over the North Shore based club, few in the big crowd were prepared for what hit them in the shape of smothering defence and an all-team offence that the Kings simply had no answer for.

An incredible first half saw every Breaker except Dion Prewster and Dillon Boucher on the scoreboard, and Prewster didn't take to the court so any score from the development player would have been miraculous. Boucher wasn't idle though with three boards, three assists and one blocked shot in a typically tireless defensive effort.

Alex Pledger had been in doubt during the week with an ankle strain, but the Breakers seven-footer came off the bench for six big boards and six points, including a superbly timed layup in transition off a CJ Bruton assist. It was a sign of a great night to come from the man they call 'Chief'.

And when the Kings managed to stop the Breakers inside, they simply went outside, shooting seven of 13 from the three point line. Possession was treasured too, with just four turnovers in the half restricting any chance for Sydney to gain any momentum as the visitors led 49 - 22 at the main break.

While the Kings improved in the second half, the Andrej Lemanis coached Breakers didn't let up either and extended their lead to 32 at three quarter time on a night that was becoming embarrassing for the home side.

The Breakers may not win too many player of the week awards, but in a team that relies on its entire roster in rotation as they do this is not surprising. By the end of the game no fewer than six Breakers were in double figures in scoring, led by Pledger and Daryl Corletto (16 points), with Pledger adding 12 boards for a notable double-double against Sydney's big man Julian Kazzouh - a performance which might yet catch the attention of the judges this weekend. Corletto's performance illustrated his value in being picked up from the Tigers as he shot four of six from the three point line.

Cedric Jackson went close to a double-double of his own, with a game high 8 assists to go with his 14 points while Coach Lemanis took the chance to give Prewster that game time he missed in the first half, the former NZ U19 captain clocking up just over four minutes of court time in the final quarter with the game well and truly in the bag.

Sydney Kings 61
Aaron Bruce 13 points, Julian Kazzouh 12 points
Breakers 98
Alex Pledger 16 points, 12 rebounds, Daryl Corletto 16 points, Cedric Jackson 14 points, 8 assists, Tom Abercrombie 12 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocked shots

- HERALD ONLINE