Breakers shoot down 36ers at home

New Zealand Breakers have continued their impressive road form to start the NBL23 season with a 99-70 win against Adelaide 36ers at the Entertainment Centre on Friday night.

The Breakers had all the answers, led by import duo Jarrell Brantley and Barry Brown Jnr, who led wire-to-wire to record their fourth road win out of five matches this season.

New Zealand attacked the paint early through Brantley, who had six of the Breakers’ first 10 points as the 36ers couldn’t stop the inside presence.

Robert Franks, ran straight down the race after just two minutes, but returned just as quick to give Adelaide their first lead at 14-13.

But the Breakers continued their inside dominance and when Brown Jnr swished his second three-pointer, New Zealand took the lead on the buzzer of quarter time 24-22.

Kai Sotto came off the bench with an instant impact, attacking the basket, scoring around the rim and being a defensive presence.

Offensive rebounding again was the 36ers’ Achilles heel, the Breakers with 17 second chance points in the first 20 minutes.

New Zealand’s pressure at the defensive end was stifling, as Adelaide turned the ball over nine times in the first half and gave up easy baskets to give the Breakers a 46-38 lead at the main break.

Kyrin Galloway checked in for his first minutes of NBL23 to beat the shot clock with a miraculous three-point shot, but the Breakers continued their impressive performance, holding Adelaide to 12 points in third quarter to take a 24-point lead into the final 10 minutes.

The Breakers defence continued for the full 40 minutes and Adelaide’s offense couldn’t handle the heat, the 36ers scoring started to flow in the final quarter but the New Zealand avalanche couldn’t be stopped.

New Zealand were on fire from outside the arc, connecting on 15 three-pointers to Adelaide’s four made triples.

Brantley had 22 points to go with nine rebounds for the visitors, while Brown Jnr also had 22 points to go with four assists.

Sotto finished with a team-high 16 points to go with five rebounds, while Antonius Cleveland added 14 points, while Robert Franks and Craig Randall II both had 11 points.

Adelaide have to rebound in less than 48 hours when the 36ers travel to John Cain Arena for a clash against South East Melbourne Phoenix on Sunday afternoon.

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 99 (Brantley 22, Brown Jnr 22, Le’Afa 15) def ADELAIDE 36ERS 70 (Sotto 16, Cleveland 14, Franks 11) at Adelaide Entertainment Centre.