New Zealand Breakers turn attention to Ignite Cup after NBL playoff hopes end with Adelaide defeat

Parker Jackson-Cartwright top-scored for the Breakers. Photo / Getty Images

The inaugural Ignite Cup final remains the New Zealand Breakers’ sole goal after their NBL playoffs hopes ended in defeat at Adelaide on Saturday night.

The Breakers blew a 12-point lead in the final quarter to lose 92-89 to the table-topping 36ers, with the loss officially extinguishing the Kiwi club’s faint hopes of making the top-six playoffs with one game of the regular season remaining.

The Breakers and 36ers meet again in the Ignite Cup final on the Gold Coast on Sunday night. The winners earn $353,000 and runners-up $117,000, with 60% going to the players and 40% to the clubs.

Missing the playoffs at least gives the Breakers an advantage heading into the final. They finish the regular season hosting the second-to-last Cairns Taipans on the North Shore on Thursday night in a game with nothing riding on it.

In contrast, the Adelaide 36ers travel to Perth to play the Wildcats on Friday night, knowing defeat could drop them to third and cost them direct entry into the NBL semi-finals.

But if the Breakers are to cash in on a notable payday, they must sort out their final-quarter collapses against Adelaide. Saturday’s defeat was the third time this season they have surrendered a three-quarter-time lead against the 36ers.

While only nine points have separated the two sides across their three games this season – including a double-overtime encounter in Auckland on January 23 – Adelaide have emerged victorious every time.

After ending Illawarra’s playoff hopes by beating the Hawks a week earlier, the Breakers faced another must-win match in Adelaide on Saturday without their influential front-court trio of NBA prospect Karim Lopez (leg injury), Sam Mennenga (wrist) and Rob Baker (ACL).

Parker Jackson-Cartwright served as the primary offensive engine for the visitors, tallying 25 points and seven assists. He was supported by veteran Rob Loe, who connected on four from five triples to finish with a season-high 14 points.

Izayah Brockington continued his historic season, passing the 500-point milestone for the campaign with a 19-point effort, while Reuben Te Rangi contributed 13 points in the interior.

The New Zealand side appeared in total control early, with Loe and Jackson-Cartwright combining for the opening nine points of the game. A late first-quarter surge handed the Breakers a 29-16 lead at the first break, which ballooned to 44-26 following a powerful two-handed dunk from Carlin Davison.

Despite a 13-4 response from Adelaide, a Jackson-Cartwright jump shot ensured the Breakers led 50-39 at the interval, shooting a clinical 61% from the field.

However, the game shifted dramatically in the final period. After shooting 56% through the first three quarters, the Breakers’ execution faltered when it mattered most, hitting just 41% from the field in the fourth.

The Adelaide comeback was fuelled by league MVP Bryce Cotton, who finished with a game-high 42 points, and D.J. Vasiljevic (19 points).

The pair combined to deliver 22 points for Adelaide in the critical fourth quarter, with the Breakers relinquishing the lead only in the final 1m 25s of the contest.

Defeat means the Breakers (12-20) cannot catch the sixth-placed Tasmania JackJumpers (14-18) with one round remaining.

A significant talking point was the 28-14 free-throw disparity in favour of the hosts, as the Breakers were whistled for 23 personal fouls compared with Adelaide’s 14.

Breakers 89 (Parker Jackson-Cartwright 25, Izaiah Brockington 19).

Adelaide 92 (Bryce Cotton 42, Dejan Vasiljevic 19).