JackJumpers

NZ Breakers 78. Tasmania Jackjumpers 89. If the New Zealand Breakers are to secure their place in the NBL grand final, they will have to do it on their own ...

With Tasmania scoring the first points of the fourth quarter as well, the New Zealand side saw their five-point lead turn into a six-point deficit within three minutes. The Breakers were successful on just five of their 16 attempts in the first quarter, while Tasmania drained eight of 22. It was a different story in the second quarter for both sides. The third quarter followed a similar pattern. But just when it looked like they would take some momentum into the break with a three-point lead, a deep buzzer-beater from former Breaker Jarrad Weeks levelled the score at half-time. Nursing an injury to his left hand, the NBL’s sixth man of the year was limited in game one and put up just four shots.

Breakers fall to Tasmania in second NBL semifinal which brings series to a decider at Auckland's Spark Arena on Sunday.

Their Hobart hoodoo continues. However, the writing was on the wall for the visitors, and a technical foul late in the game on Brantley for arguing with the officials seemed an appropriate way for the Breakers to finish at a venue they dislike intensely. Last Sunday the Breakers drew first blood in the series with an 88-68 victory based on defensive pressure and an all-round attacking game, but tonight it was the JackJumpers who brought the intensity, edging away after a tight first three quarters to close it out in dominant fashion in the fourth.

NZ Breakers face an ANBL semi-final series-deciding game at home, after falling 89-78 to Tasmania JackJumpers at Hobart. Chasing victory for a place in the ...

At MyState Bank Arena: Tasmania JackJumpers 89 (Milton Doyle 23. Jack McVeigh 16, Matt Kenyon 11), NZ Breakers 78 (Barry Brown Jr 19, Jarrell Brantley 17, ...

There is a lot to think about for the Breakers as they return to Auckland for a decider that will be played at their intimidating home venue, in front of their vocal crowd. The undermanned Tasmanians, missing star point guard Josh Magette to a facial injury, out-Breakered the Breakers as they muscled up on D, took their opponents out of their rhythm and rode home on the back of a superstar offensive display from shooting guard Milton Doyle in front of a packed, loud and intense home crowd. Top of that list should be a reassurance that the JackJumpers will be turning up with their belief factor burning bright. All-NBL first-teamer Doyle was superb for the JJs, racking up a game-high 23 points on 8-of-17 shooting (including three from deep), to go with 3 rebounds, 5 assists and a trio of steals. It should have the Breakers decidedly on edge as they return for Sunday’s decider at Spark. It’s hard to see that view changing much on the back of another sub-par effort there.