Breakers fightback not enough against Wildcats

Perth was led by a Bryce Cotton masterclass, who was near unstoppable with 59 points shooting 64% from the field along with seven assists.

The Breakers faced an onslaught from the opening whistle, with the hosts pouring on 42 points in the first quarter with Cotton scoring 20.

With Max Darling not taking the court, New Zealand were further struck by injury when they lost Tacko Fall and Dane Pineau in the second quarter.

Stuck in a hole, the Breakers fought back strongly in the second half but were unable to erase the 21 point halftime deficit, with Perth holding onto their lead late in the fourth quarter.

Co-captain Parker Jackson-Cartwright laid out another outstanding performance with a hard-earned double-double including a season-high 34 points and 10 assists, along with three steals.

Sam Mennenga provided a solid interior presence, adding 25 points and nine rebounds while Grant Anticevich earned a start and notched up 10 points.

The Breakers outscored the Wildcats 64-48 in the paint and received a spark from their bench which tallied 27 points.

Head coach Petteri Koponen said it was a tough loss but he was proud of how his side responded in the second half.

“In the first half we were poor, but I was proud of how we responded after the break and we showed some character,” he said.

“From a coach’s perspective, it’s frustrating being on the sidelines during moments like that [watching Bryce Cotton]. But as a basketball fan, it was one of the most unbelievable games I’ve seen - with Parker on our side and Bryce on theirs going at it.

“We responded in the second half with pride and effort. That’s the key takeaway moving forward. In this league, you don’t have a chance if you don’t defend well and that’s where it starts.”

The BNZ Breakers (7-5) now travel home to prepare for their next match against Melbourne United in Christchurch on Thursday night.