The Adelaide 36ers have beaten an under-strength New Zealand Breakers side 96-86 in their Australian National Basketball League match on the North Shore.
The Breakers entered this game without star CJ Bruton who, despite suiting up and warming up, sustained a back injury and sharpshooter Phill Jones due to a one-match suspension following an incident in last week's game against Perth.
The led changed regularly throughout the match with the Breakers up by 7 in the third quarter, but an 8 point run by Adelaide in the 4th saw them take a lead they never surrended.
Kirk Penney top scored for the Breakers with a game-high 24 points while veteran Tony Ronaldson chipped in with 23 points.
Breakers forward Dillon Boucher didn't use the absence of Jones and Bruton as an excuse for his side's performance.... he says they were a big loss, but they still have a number of quality players on the court and it was no excuse for not being able to execute offence and play defence.
New Zealand coach Andrej Lemanis showed trust in his squad by introducing development players Thomas Abercrombie and Corey Webster in place of Bruton and Jones in the first quarter and both repaid the faith shown in them by producing some excitement.
The 7 and 3 Breakers remain second on the table and now head to Melbourne to face the Tigers on Saturday.
