The Breakers have done little to dampen expectations in the opening eight days of the new Australian NBL season.
A week after punishing defending champions Perth on their own court, the Breakers dismantled reigning runners-up Adelaide in stunning style at Vector Arena tonight to chalk up a 101-80 win.
It was another performance out of the Breakers' playbook off old, putting five players into double figures to create an unassailable lead before the fourth quarter. And it was another performance to remind the fans just what they had been missing during the last campaign.
Nights like these were few and far between as the then-defending champs slumped to an 11-18 record. But, with tonight's blowout now sitting alongside last week's grinding victory, that season is feeling but a distant memory.
Just like last week, it was the men not mentally scarred by that second-last finish who were behind much of what the Breakers were doing well. Cedric Jackson followed his game-winning turn on Friday night with 15 points and three assists, warming up from range to become an unstoppable prospect for the Adelaide defence.
Nigerian big Ekene Ibekwe contributed 11 points and 11 boards and, based on what he's shown in the opening two games, the double-double will be the first of many for the club.
But the old guard were also crucial to the victory. Corey Webster equalled his career-high with 23 points to deliver on the promise he showed with the Tall Blacks while away at the World Cup, bouncing back from an injury-hit week one. Webster's output was key in establishing the Breakers' big lead and, while he cooled off in the latter stages, the guard's ability to score almost at will leaves him a major offensive weapon.
Tom Abercrombie was another to impress after recovering from health concerns, playing an encouraging 21 minutes and grabbing 11 points and six boards.
It was no surprise, then, given the varying contributions, that the Breakers moved to 2-0. But that prospect was never a sure thing when, after retiring CJ Bruton's No 23 jersey, the Breakers started ice-cold.
Adelaide were allowed to shoot out to an 8-0 lead as the Breakers missed their first seven attempts from the floor, being held scoreless for two-and-a-half minutes. Compounding the home side's problems was a porous defence in the paint, with the 36ers enjoying much of their early success close to the rim.
The Breakers immediately looked a better side after Abercrombie and Alex Pledger came into the agme, with a pair of triples helping his side to a 21-5 run to close the second quarter.
Their nine-point advantage grew slowly in the second as the game was continually disrupted by the referees' whistles. In what was far from a dirty affair, 31 fouls were far too many, split evenly the break the rhythm of both sides.
Vukona was especially struggling, limited to just four minutes in the half, but that didn't prevent the Breakers from leading by 11 at the major break. If Adelaide were boosted by keeping the Breakers within touching distance at the major break, that boost was immediately quashed by Webster's five quick points to open the third.
Not to be out-done by his back-court mate, Jackson came to life from beyond the arc in the third, draining thee of four as the Breakers' advantage reached 26 points heading into the fourth.
While Adelaide reduced that to a worrying 10 at one points, the Breakers eventually ran away with another encouraging win.
