The Breakers’ early NBL woes are piling up on the back of a second straight defeat to the Adelaide 36ers to open the new Australian NBL season.
Despite some notable improvements from their first-up 94-91 overtime defeat last Friday, the Breakers were even less competitive second time out against the same opponents, crumbling to an 88-78 defeat in Wednesday night’s rematch at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
The Breakers got strong performances out of Finn Delany (19 points, 6 rebounds) and the returned Corey Webster (17 points on 6-of-13 shooting), while big import Colton Iverson was much more effective with the game under his belt to chip in with a double-double of 12 points, 10 rebounds and a couple of steals.
But with electric point guard Tai Webster much quieter (13 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds), Tom Abercrombie once again unable to get anything substantial going (7 points on 2-of-8 shooting), and a clearly out-of-condition import Lamar Paterson contributing a donut, with zero points on oh-for-five shooting, the Breakers were playing from behind throughout as they sunk to 0-2 for the new season.
The Sixers, on the other hand, were impressive as they rode to victory on the back of another standout display from big man Isaac Humphries, his trusty sidekick Daniel Johnson and Aussie teenage phenom Josh Giddey.
Humphries, who terrorised the Kiwis last Friday, finished with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting, 5 rebounds and 4 blocks, and had it all his own way inside as the home side poured in 40 points in the paint.
Johnson was his slick self with 17 points (5/10 FG), 4 boards and 5 assists, while the 18-year-old Giddey flirted with the triple-double in a bounceback performance with 13 points (5/10 FG), 10 rebounds and 8 dimes.
