Finn Delany led the Breakers with 25 points against the Perth Wildcats in Launceston, Tasmania.
Perth Wildcats star Bryce Cotton broke the Breakers’ hearts, and maybe their Australian NBL season with it in Launceston on Tuesday night. Cotton came up huge after a sub-par first half to lead the Wildcats to a thrilling 85-79 overtime victory in the Breakers’ “home” debut at the Silverdome in Tasmania. The import point guard, in the process of nailing down his Australian citizenship, poured in 26 second-half and extra-period points to finish with 31 for the game as the Wildcats improved to 16-5 for the season. And none of his nine successful shots for the night were bigger than the off-balance 3-pointer he hit with time up to force overtime after the Breakers had taken an unlikely 72-69 lead in the final seconds of regulation. Victory had been theirs for the taking with just 1.7 seconds left on the clock; only for Cotton to snatch it from their grasp.
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Corey Webster says the struggling Breakers must take a collective look in the mirror as they search for improvements.
Just what the Breakers didn’t need. With all their problems, and the pressure swirling early, up next are perennial powerhouse the Perth Wildcats. Not once, but twice. And coming off a rare home defeat. At 0-2, with back-to-back road defeats to the Adelaide 36ers, the Breakers find themselves wedged into an early tight spot in this uncertain Australian NBL season doing its best to fit in around interstate Covid travel restrictions. They now stare down the barrel of 0-4, with games against the defending champion Wildcats at their intimidating RAC Arena on Sunday (tipoff 7pm NZT) and again next Friday. Bad will become worse if they are not very, very careful.
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The NBL season begins on 15 January with the Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne United going into battle in Adelaide, the beginning of an intriguing season for more reasons than just the effects of COVID-19.
Here’s a quick look at all nine teams in the lead up to Friday’s NBL21 tipoff.
Adelaide 36ers
Points per game: 94.8
Points against per game: 98.9
One of the biggest reasons to watch the 36ers this season is in his first year of senior competition and could potentially be one of the focal points of the offence. Josh Giddey, the exciting 18-year-old potential NBA prospect, is almost a lock to be the rookie of the year if he performs to the potential we know he has.
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