AUS/NZL - Perth stun Mika-less Breakers
AUCKLAND (NBL) – All was going well for New Zealand in the first quarter of Game 1 of their NBL semi-final clash with the Perth Wildcats. Thomas Abercrombie (17 points), CJ Bruton (9 points) and Kirk Penney (14 points) were starting to roll as the Breakers jumped out to a double figure lead. But what had looked like a corked thigh for star power ...
AUCKLAND (NBL) – All was going well for New Zealand in the first quarter of Game 1 of their NBL semi-final clash with the Perth Wildcats.
Thomas Abercrombie (17 points), CJ Bruton (9 points) and Kirk Penney (14 points) were starting to roll as the Breakers jumped out to a double figure lead. But what had looked like a corked thigh for star power forward Mika Vukona turned out to be much more.
Penney had curled too tightly off a Vukona screen and hit his leg hard, causing a serious strain to the medial ligament in Vukona’s knee. With their defensive star unable to return to the court after quarter time, things unravelled for the title favourites.
New Zealand’s 31-23 quarter time lead became 52-52 at half time, 62-76 at three quarter time and a 78-101 blow out in the end.
Perth import Kevin Lisch (pictured), a man who likes to save his best for last, was the match winner for the Wildcats.
Last year on professional debut, the St Louis University graduate averaged less than 12 points per game on 40 percent shooting, but was superb in the playoffs, capping his year with 29 points in the deciding grand final game and claiming playoff MVP honours.
This season Lisch has averaged 13 points on 38 percent, but tore the Breakers apart with 29 points on 9 of 15 shooting in Game 1, hitting 5 of 8 triples as the game blew out in the second half. He was well supported by Australian point guard Damian Martin who collected 9 points, 5 assists, 5 steals, 4 rebounds and an enormous blocked shot.
Big men Matt Knight (14 points, 8 rebounds) and Andre Brown (12 points, 8 rebounds) were also strong contributors as Perth won the rebound battle 47-26, while small forwards Cam Tovey (11 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals) and Stephen Weigh (12 points, 8 rebounds) negated Abercrombie and Penney at both ends of the floor.
While New Zealand badly missed Vukona on the boards and on defence, their offence just missed badly. Penney, Abercrombie and Bruton shot a combined 5 of 21 from behind the arc, many of them wide open.
If the Breakers hope to win game two in Perth on Sunday without Vukona they will need to capitalise on every open look the tough Perth defence concedes.
The NBL Semi Finals continue Friday night with the Townsville Crocs hosting the Cairns Taipans.
Paulo Kennedy
FIBA