BNZ Breakers show grit in win over Kings

An impressive team performance has seen the BNZ Breakers seal a thrilling 93-89 win over Sydney Kings in Round 6 on Sunday.

With Max Darling, Mojave King and co-captain Mitch McCarron all out again through injury, the Breakers dug deep for an important result on the road.

Leading the charge, Parker Jackson-Cartwright delivered an outstanding 21 points, eight assists and five rebounds, setting the tempo on both ends of the court.

Karim Lopez added huge value with his first career double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds, providing the Breakers with critical second-chance opportunities.

Matt Mooney also had the hot hand, topping the scoresheet with 24 points, five assists and three steals.

Sydney’s physical presence in the paint was felt with 28 points scored inside, but the visitors’ defence was resilient, countering with seven blocks - spearheaded by Lopez and Freddie Gillespie.

Head coach Petteri Koponen said he was proud of how his side bounced back after a tough loss to SEM Phoenix on Thursday.

“I’m really proud of these guys. They showed character tonight,” Koponen said.

“Across the court guys stepped up. Karim was huge for us – he’s shown what we know he can do. I’m really happy for him and this is a big win for us.

“We showed a different character tonight. Toughness and winning those one-on-ones gave us confidence. That’s who we are.”

The win improves the BNZ Breakers’ record to 4-2 as they return home to prepare for the Adelaide 36ers at Spark Arena on Saturday night.