Second half benchmark effort for Herbert

BNZ Breakers coach Gordie Herbert made sure everyone knew what he thought of his team's first half effort back home on Friday night, but he was glad to see a response after half-time and continues to be impressed with Charles Bediako.

Herbert didn’t hold back in what he thought of the performance from his team in the first half, but he was encouraged with what they delivered in the second half to get back within two by three quarter-time on the back of 28 points to 18 in the third period.

The BNZ Breakers then got all the way back in front early in the fourth and even though they didn’t quite complete the job, he was glad to see they responded after half-time to give themselves a chance by playing the way he wants them to.

"I just thought our effort was much better," Herbert said.

"Our demeanour on defence was much better, we gave a shit, so to speak, and the first half was much about me and I, and how many points I'm going to get and how many shots I'm gonna get up.

"As I told the players, we're not playing like this (anymore)."

Herbert did offer an apology to the BNZ Breakers fans, though, who had been waiting to see their team play through all of October and that's not the sort of homecoming performance he expected his team to give them.

"Yeah, it's tough but I apologise to our fans, they deserve better," Herbert said.

"And to a certain extent it's not whether you win or lose, it's if we're getting better or not. We'll see kind of what our response is on Monday and what our demeanour is."

One player that Herbert is happy with the effort he got from once again was import centre Charles Bediako.

He's not surprised because he has coached Bediako previously in Germany, but now the big man is finding his feet in the NBL and coming off his best game of the season in Cairns last Sunday with 15 points and 10 rebounds, he had another 16 points, five boards and five blocks against Adelaide.

But it wasn’t just the numbers. He was a true defensive presence, and he played with the hustle and spirit that Herbert wants to see from all his team, highlighted by the near seven-footer diving on a loose ball that led to a Carlin Davison dunk.

"He's one guy who's playing defence for us and giving us something on the defensive end, and he's played well the last couple of weeks," Hebert said.

"In the second half, I thought he was really good so I think he's got better and better. Unfortunately, we have some players who've got worse and worse."

When speaking immediately after the game, Herbert didn’t hold back when talking about what he thought of what the BNZ Breakers delivered in the first half, but does hope they can now build on what they produced after half-time in Melbourne on Monday night.

"I was really disappointed with our effort in the first half, it was pathetic," Herbert said.

"It's probably the most pathetic 20 minutes we've played this season. There was no fight, no will, no energy, no togetherness; absolutely pathetic.

"It's one thing to miss shots, but not to give effort, not to compete and lose every battle, it was ridiculous. Their will was so much stronger than ours, they won every battle, every loose ball.

"Then in the second half, we came out and we fought. The third quarter is how we've got to play basketball. We came out with some intensity and we fought, and we played.

"It's tough when you're down to a real good team like that. We used a lot of energy coming back and we and then we kind of got a little bit tired, but we stayed with the guys who brought us back."