More pain for Breakers in loss to lowly Hawks

Breakers forward Jarrell Brantley.
Photo: Photosport

Hawks guard Tyler Harvey sunk an audacious game-winner with a near half-court shot in the dying seconds on Thursday night to clinch his team’s third win of the season and leave the third-placed Breakers’ hopes of a top-two regular season finish hanging by a thread.

Illawarra saw a double figure lead disappear in the final minutes when Breakers captain Tom Abercrombie pulled off a steal and dunk for the Breakers.

But Harvey knocked down his sixth three-pointer of the game, just inside halfway to ensure he could get the shot off over the taller Abercrombie who had been hounding him all night.

It fell and Harvey ended up with 25 points for the game with 6/12 three-point shooting and left the Breakers with a 13-10 record and at risk of slipping outside the top four.

Dererk Pardon battled valiantly for the Breakers to finish with 19 points and 17 rebounds, with Jarrell Brantley adding 16 points and five boards, Abercrombie 13 points and three rebounds, and Will McDowell-White nine points and seven assists.

Breakers coach Mody Maor said his team is playing with putting too much pressure on themselves.

“We’re obviously playing with a little bit of weight on our shoulders,” Maor said.

“We worked very hard to be in the position that we are with the record that we had, and when you have something you work really hard and you cherish, you’re a little bit scared to lose it sometimes.

“That playoff spot for us is extremely precious, it was our main goal when we started the season and we’re playing with a little bit of added weight and pressure in these games.

“I truly believe that this is a growing step for our group and that all the work we’ve put in is going to show and we are going to overcome it better, and win games and achieve our goals.”

On top of Harvey’s performance, Mangok Mathiang had 15 points and five rebounds for the Hawks, Sam Froling 11 points and six boards, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk 10 points, and Davo Hickey eight points, four rebounds and four assists.

Hawks coach Jacob Jackomas was just a relieved man that after so many close calls, his team came out winners.

“Some of that stuff does come down to luck at the end of the game and big time players make a big play,” Jackomas said.

“There’s nothing I did with that, Tyler hit a big shot and they hit big shots too but we finally got one where we’re ahead at the end.

“Credit to the guys, credit to Tyler and it would be easy right now with what’s been going on to just roll on. They haven’t and they deserve this.”

The Breakers are on the road to the league-leading Sydney Kings on Sunday.

– RNZ