Updated April 25, 2012 10:02:50
New Zealand held off a fighting Perth Wildcats outfit to successfully defend its NBL title with a 79-73 game three win in Auckland on Tuesday night.
The Breakers became the first side to win consecutive titles since Sydney Kings in 2002-2005, a championship team that veteran New Zealand guard CJ Bruton was also a part of.
The 35-year-old guard, who has won NBL titles with Sydney in 2004 and 2005, Brisbane in 2007 and New Zealand last year, showed his big game experience with a cool 16 points, going 4-of-7 from downtown and adding three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Bruton was awarded the Larry Sengstock Medal for the Most Valuable Player of the series, to roars from the 9,000-strong home crowd at Vector Arena.
This time around Bruton put the Breakers up by seven with a three-point dagger with less than two minutes to play thanks to an offensive rebound from team-mate and 2011 finals MVP Tom Abercrombie.
"I'm never going to shy away, you've got to know that from the start of my career to the end," Bruton told Grandstand.
"At the end of the day I want to go down in history as one of the great players and if I shy away from stuff like that I'm not going to get there, I'm not going to go into that category."
Breakers forward Gary Wilkinson led all comers with 23 points while centre Alex Pledger went 4-of-6 for 13 points and Abercrombie had 12 and four rebounds.
Bruton was full of praise for his team-mates not only for their performances on Tuesday night but throughout the title defence.
"I also want to bring my team to special places and obviously they did all the legwork," he said.
"I was injured part of the year ... we had a great group of guys who committed to the team, committed to becoming one and the results are what they are."
Despite Bruton's heroics the Wildcats would not give up and, with a minute to play, Perth skipper Shawn Redhage made a huge three-pointer in the context of the game.
Bruton drained another three-pointer but star Wildcats guard Kevin Lisch hit back instantly with a slick lay-up at the other end.
Cedric Jackson then went to the charity stripe for the Breakers and coolly drained both free throws to push the margin back to six.
A steal from Jackson then saw Lisch dish off to Redhage under the basket, but he got a taste of his own game two medicine when his low-post shot was sensationally blocked by Abercrombie.
The Wildcats' foul count sent New Zealand to the line again where Bruton dropped two free throws to ice the game.
Having signed a new two-year deal with the Breakers, Bruton said his legacy was not yet complete at the club.
"All I know is back-to-back titles is something that hasn't been done in a long time," he said.
"But now I'm already thinking about the future of this club.
"I want to leave here with four titles.
"I plan on obviously everyone's going to get better over time and you've just got to keep doing the little things."
The Breakers scored eight of the first 10 points, but the game tightened up soon after.
New Zealand shooters found their range from three-point range, but the Wildcats worked several unopposed lay-ups and by quarter-time the home team was in front by just 22-21.
Despite centre Luke Nevill getting into foul trouble, the Wildcats got their noses in front in the second quarter, forward Matthew Knight outstanding with 11 points in the quarter.
The Wildcats dominated rebounds but a number of steals kept the Breakers in the game and two quick baskets to Breakers guard Jackson brought them to within two points at half-time.
The Breakers had the ascendancy in the third quarter, winning a number of turnovers and keeping Lisch quiet.
They neutralised all the Wildcats on offence bar Redhage, and would have taken more than a four-point lead into the final quarter but for some missed free throws from Jackson.
Some quick baskets to Pledger gave the Breakers an eight point lead shortly into the final quarter but the Perth defence tightened and three-pointers to Lisch and Cameron Tovey drew the Wildcats level with seven minutes to go.
Four points to Wilkinson put the Breakers back in front and the late heroics from Bruton and Abercrombie sealed the hometown victory.
The series was sent to a third and decisive contest after Redhage's incredible defensive play sealed the Wildcats an 87-86 win in Perth last Friday night.
New Zealand took the early lead in the best-of-three series with an overtime 104-98 victory at Vector Arena 11 days ago.
Both teams battled injury and illness concerns throughout the series with the Breakers suffering a stomach bug in their camp and key Perth players Damian Martin (ankle) and Greg Hire (illness) coming into game three at less than 100 per cent.
Martin told Grandstand that his injury was less painful than the result.
"I gave it my best shot with the ankle but obviously it wasn't good enough to try and keep up with Cedric Jackson and CJ Bruton," he said.
"I'm just really disappointed that I couldn't really participate as much as I'd have liked to.
"There were times where I thought I could go 70, 80 per cent then all of a sudden it would give way again.
"It was just a reminder that it wasn't to be tonight for myself or for the boys."
ABC/AAP
Tags: nbl,
basketball,
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new-zealand,
perth-6000,
wa,
australia First posted April 24, 2012 19:30:18
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