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 court.

After claiming first blood in their best-of-three semifinal series against the Tasmania Jackjumpers in Auckland on Sunday, they were unable to close out the series in Hobart on Thursday night, falling 89-78.

After holding the Jackjumpers to fewer than 70 points four times this season - including Sunday’s win in game one – the Breakers couldn’t contain the Tasmanian scorers, with Milton Doyle and Jack McVeigh catching fire from three-point range to keep the hosts alive.

While they couldn’t close the series out, the Breakers will be buoyed by the increased output of import guard Barry Brown Jr in the game. 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. He had surpassed that mark in the first quarter in Tasmania.

Brown Jr led the way for the Breakers with 19 points, with fellow imports Jarrell Brantley (17) and Dererk Pardon (15 points and 11 rebounds) also having an impact, but it wasn’t enough to see the side through to the grand final on this occasion.

Back in their own building, Tasmania looked to have set the tone early with a three-pointer from Doyle, but it ended up being their only basket in the first four minutes of the game as the Breakers made things hard for the Jackjumpers offence despite the hosts securing several offensive rebounds.

While their defence was locked in, the Breakers were having just as much trouble getting the ball in the hoop in what was quickly set up to be a gritty affair.

Both sides shot the ball terribly in the opening 10 minutes. The Breakers were successful on just five of their 16 attempts in the first quarter, while Tasmania drained eight of 22. The Jackjumpers, however, ended the quarter with an 18-14 lead.

It was a different story in the second quarter for both sides. The Breakers were showing patience on attack as the Jackjumpers swarmed to point guard Will McDowell-White as much as possible so he wasn’t able to control the game.

Ball movement was key as the Breakers fought their way back into the lead. 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.

The third quarter followed a similar pattern. Neither side was able to build much of a lead until late in the third when the Breakers edged out to a five-point advantage.

That advantage was subsequently dissolved in the next two possessions, and the Jackjumpers closed out the third on a 9-0 run.

It was the beginning of the end of the Breakers. 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.

From there, it was all Tasmania. The hosts outscored the Breakers 25-18 in the final period to close out the win and force a deciding game.

The sides will now turn their attention to trying to advance in game three of the series, which will be played in Auckland on Sunday.

NZ Breakers 78 (Barry Brown Jr 19 points, Jarrell Brantley 17, Dererk Pardon 15)

Tasmania Jackjumpers 89 (Milton Doyle 23, Jack McVeigh 16, Matt Kenyon 11)

1Q: 14-18. HT: 42-42. 3Q: 60-64

- Christopher Reive, NZH