1 Nov 2014

Breakers win again in Auckland

8:19 am on 1 November 2014

The Breakers winning ways have continued in the Australian National Basketball League with the hosts beating the Townsville Crocs 84-70 at Vector Arena.

Tai Wesley of the Breakers celebrates with teammate Mika Vukona.

Tai Wesley of the Breakers celebrates with teammate Mika Vukona. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The Halloween night victory was the Breakers fourth from their first six games, and consolidates their position in the NBL's top three.

The New Zealanders are in outright third place, behind the first placed and unbeaten Cairns Taipans and the second placed Perth Wildcats.

Star import Cedric Jackson led all scorers with 17 points.

The point guard, who is battling a painful elbow injury, also produced six assists, five rebounds and two steals.

Corey Webster contributed 15 points, Ekene Ibekwe 13 and Tom Abercrombie 12 and six rebounds.

The Breakers won the battle of the boards as they produced a strong defensive effort.

They put the shackles on Brian Conklin, who had gone into the match as the league's leading scorer with an average of 23 points.

Conklin could muster only three points after landing one of 13 field goal attempts.

In all, the Crocodiles shot at just 36 per cent from the field, with their leading scorers being Mickell Gladness with 14 and Clint Steindl with 13 each.

Steindl's haul came in a three-minute stretch on either side of the first-quarter break.

Despite the defeat, the Crocodiles remain fifth with a 2-3 record.

NZ Breakers 84

Jackson 17, Webster 15, Ibekwe 13, Abercrombie 12

Townsville Crocodiles 70

Gladness 14, Steindl 13, Henry 10