NEW ZEALAND Breakers are the silent assassins of the 2023/24 NBL season, as the team from across the Tasman continues to pick off mid-season scalps, the latest being fellow contender Tasmania JackJumpers at MyState Bank Arena yesterday.

The five-point victory (98-93) marked a fourth straight win for the Breakers, as they also took down Brisbane Bullets, Sydney Kings and Cairns Taipans, with all bar the Kings’ win on enemy soil. New Zealand has not lost since December 9, when the JackJumpers got up by 17 points (97-80) at Spark Arena, with the Breakers now exacting revenge on the green team’s home court.

It looked like the JackJumpers would secure the first victory of the New Year early in the game putting on a six-point lead at quarter time, before the Breakers made their move. Tying the game by the main break, they then created a six-point buffer of their own heading into the last change, before a shootout across the final 10 minutes.

When Parker Jackson-Cartwright was fouled on his way to the basket with 26 seconds left on the clock, and then delivered the two subsequent free throws, the Breakers went up 96-93. JackJumpers shooter Jordan Crawford had two chances from beyond the arc in the next 15 seconds as he desperately looked to tie the game.

Both went askew, and when Izayah Le’afa was fouled upon pulling in the defensive rebound and made no mistake from the charity stripe up the other end, it was game over and the visitors had come away with the five-point road win.

New Zealand’s shooting was sublime from inside the arc, able to get to the basket, and then deliver from the line when fouled. The Breakers trusted their bigs to deliver when it counted, with an aggresive driving style that saw them shoot at 60 per cent from two-point range, then nail 26 of 34 free throws. A stark contrast to the three-point bombs coming from the JackJumpers, who to their credit were able to keep themselves in the game that way.

Tasmania drained a remarkable 16 of 30 from beyond the arc, but failed from closer range, only hitting 19 of 47. The JackJumpers still controlled the boards with a plus-eight in the category (43-35), as well as an advantage in the assists (20-15), but their ball-handling also let them down. New Zealand capitalised off 11 turnovers to just two, to score 17-3 off turnovers, then getting to the paint to pile on half (50 points) of their score.

Jackson-Cartwright put up a game-high 27 points – including three of five from beyond the arc, half of his team’s triples – with six rebounds and three assists. Anthony Lamb (18 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals), Next Star Mantas Rubstavicius (16 points, four rebounds) and Mangok Mathiang (16 points, seven rebounds) all stepped up to contributed off the boards and on the scoring front.

For the JackJumpers, Crawford had a shooting night to forget with just two of 13 from the field including missing all four lomg-range attempts. He finished with six points, two assists and four turnovers in a dirty night for the talented guard. Instead, it was Sean MacDonald who stepped up, draining 23 points, of which including seven triples from nine attempts in a deadly display from long-range.

MacDonald came off the bench to make a profound impact, while Jack McVeigh (17 points, seven rebounds and five assists) did it all, and Marcus Lee recorded a double-double of 14 points – 77 per cent from the field – and 13 rebounds. Anthony Drmic (13 points, six rebounds and two assists) and Milton Doyle (12 points, five rebounds and four assists) also chipped in.

New Zealand Breakers head back home for a clash with Perth Wildcats on Sunday, January 7 at Spark Arena, while Tasmania JackJumpers remain on the Apple Isle, welcoming Cairns Taipans in their next match on Saturday, January 6.