Basketball: Breakers' defence given credit

The Sydney Kings' Jason Cadee (left) is fouled by the New Zealand Breakers' Duane Bailey during...
The Sydney Kings' Jason Cadee (left) is fouled by the New Zealand Breakers' Duane Bailey during an ANBL pre-season game at the Edgar Centre in Dunedin last night. Photo by Linda Robertson.
The New Zealand Breakers completed their pre-season with a solid 94-84 win against the Sydney Kings at the Edgar Centre in Dunedin last night.

The Auckland-based franchise turned around a five-point halftime deficit and negotiated its way through foul trouble to win the match.

Corey Webster rebounded from a quiet opening 20 minutes to top score for the Breakers with 24 points, and Reuben Te Rangi (14 points) led the fightback with some nice drives to the hoop.

Kings point guard Kendrick Perry and guard Jason Cadee added 18 points apiece.

Breakers assistant coach Paul Henare felt his side produced an improved defensive effort.

''We allowed 47 points in the first half, so to turn that around was really pleasing,'' he said.

The Breakers had got into serious foul trouble as well, with four players nursing three fouls each at the break.

''That was a bit of a worry. We had guys in foul trouble up in Christchurch [on Tuesday] as well. I thought we focused too much on the referee and the adjustments that we weren't making.

''So we tried to turn it around and make it a positive by being more aggressive on the offensive end and I thought the guys came out with that mindset. Reuben Te Rangi set the tone for that and Ekene Ibekwe as well.''

It was a great shame for the crowd of about 1600 that the Kings' big-name recruit, 391 NBA game veteran Josh Childress, did not suit up. And with no Alex Pledger, no Cedric Jackson and no Thomas Abercrombie, the game and the Breakers were robbed of some serious talent.

But despite having three regular starters ruled out, the Breakers' starting five of Ibekwe, Mika Vukona, Te Rangi, Webster and Rhys Carter came out firing.

Ibekwe posted the first points with a drive to the hoop. He gathered a foul and added the extra. His side stole a seven-point march before the Kings were able to respond.

Perry helped the visitors claw their way into the game with seven first-quarter points.

The Breakers protected their four-point buffer for the majority of the second period before losing the lead with three minutes remaining in the half.

Ibekwe was in early foul trouble but was in good company, as team-mates Vukona, Duane Bailey and Tai Wesley all registering three by halftime.

Trailing 47-42 at halftime, the Breakers emerged with more purpose.

Te Rangi made a dazzling drive to the hoop, spun around his opposite, bagged the basket and the foul, to help the Breakers remove the last of the halftime deficit.

Webster repeated the dose moments later. There was a spark at the other end as well, as the Breakers forced a couple of shot clock violations.

With 10 minutes to play, the Breakers had turned the tables to lead by five.

That gap ballooned to 12 points and then shrank to just four, as the Kings rallied. But a crucial steal from Vukona ensured there would be no dramatic comeback.

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