How important was the Breakers' 99-78 bounceback victory over Perth last night, sealing the season series against their old foes?
The winner of that particular four-game set has eventually lifted the Australian NBL trophy in five of the last six seasons.
Tom Abercrombie led all scorers with 23, Charles Jackson had a huge double-double and the Breakers received key contributions throughout the squad to clinch the series and, they hope, continue that recent trend.
While that trend can be owed much to the Breakers' dominance of the competition this decade, it also illustrates one thing: whoever emergences triumphant from what can be a titanic 160-minute tussle between these two teams has a very good chance of claiming the overall spoils.
The series - over in the first half of the campaign - was split at two apiece, with point differential seeing the Breakers earn the tie-breaker should the rivals finish level in the playoff picture. Which, based on last night, is entirely possible.
Victory, coming after losing in Perth on Friday night, helped the Breakers (8-5) edge above the chasing pack and solidify their standing in third, while the Wildcats (9-5) remained clear in second by the slimmest of margins.
Such a scenario was only appropriate after a game that remained in the balance until deep into the fourth. In the end, the Breakers had too many weapons at one end and their defence was too strong at the other, creating a comfortable advantage in a contest that was anything but.
The Breakers were left thanking both their sharp shooters - Abercrombie's efforts were added to 21 from league-leading scorer Corey Webster - and, especially, their big men.
After allowing Perth far too many points in the paint on Friday night, Jackson, Mika Vukona and Alex Pledger tightened the screws while lifting their own offensive performances. Jackson led the way with 19 points, 12 rebounds and two timely blocks, but Vukona (11 points, 12 rebounds) and Pledger (11 points, seven rebounds) were no less impressive.
They were all equally influential under their own rims, even if the game began with the semblance of a free-flowing shootout, something that rarely transpires when these two heavyweights touch gloves.
Both teams began the game shooting well, matching each other possession for possession and taking more than eight minutes before either side edged ahead by more than two points. Perth were the first to stick their noses in front and took a six-point lead into the second but, pleasingly for the home side, they were at least holding their own in the paint and largely negating Perth's chief strength.
Unfortunately, having picked their poison, Jermaine Beal was torching the Breakers from outside, grabbing 18 points in the first 15 minutes to help the Wildcats maintained their minor lead. But with Mika Vukona providing the inspiration, squaring off with Casey Prather to spark memories of the more spiteful clashes between these teams, the Breakers' defence responded to help the hosts in front by six at the major break.
The buckets continued to flow in the third, atypically considering both sides began the game ranked in the competition's top three in defence, but the Breakers' superiority on the boards soon helped them seize control.
Five quick points from Abercrombie saw the margin crack double digits for the first time all evening but the Breakers just couldn't creep away from Perth's grasp in the fourth. Until, that is, back-to-back threes from Webster was followed immediately by another triple from Abercrombie to all but seal the result.
- by Kris Shannon
Breakers 99 (Abercrombie 23, Webster 21, Charles Jackson 19) Wildcats 78 (Beal 21, Prather 12, Knight 11) HT: 54-48
