Breakers keep rolling with win over JackJumpers

The New Zealand Breakers have kept their impressive run towards the NBL's top six going with a strong 94-88 Friday night victory against the Tasmania JackJumpers at Eventfinda Stadium.

The Breakers were back to their spiritual home on the North Shore and made a flying start in the fourth meeting of the season against the JackJumpers.

New Zealand led 24-20 by the end of the opening quarter and then put up another 33 points in the second period to go into the half-time interval in control of the contest, leading 57-39.

Tasmania were always going to make a run at it in the second half and that happened with the visitors getting back within four with just under a minute remaining courtesy of a three-pointer from Milton Doyle.

The Breakers held firm, though, and it was import duo Anthony Lamb and Zylan Cheatham who iced the win for the home team as they made six wins in the last nine matches this season.

The victory improves New Zealand to a 10-12 record to be banging on the door of a top six position and of those three losses over the past nine games, two of them were tight affairs to top two teams Melbourne and Perth.

There was once again a lot to like about what the Breakers produced on Friday night including shooting the ball at 51 per cent from the field along with a phenomenal 15/26 at 57 per cent from three-point territory. 

New Zealand also did well to force Tasmania into 18 turnovers for the game from which the Breakers were able to score 23 points.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright was again outstanding for the Breakers with 25 points and four assists on 6/8 shooting from behind the three-point line.

Back court partner Will McDowell-White is also working back to top form with 13 points and four assists on 3/4 shooting from deep himself.

Zylan Cheatham produced 20 points, five rebounds and three steals on 10/13 free-throw shooting with Anthony Lamb contributing 18 points and five assists.

The JackJumpers did shoot 54 per cent from the field themselves, but only made 14/26 at the free-throw line at 53 per cent.

Jack McVeigh top-scored for Tasmania with 22 points with Milton Doyle adding 19 and Will Magnay 15.

The Breakers now back up on Sunday in Wollongong against the Illawarra Hawks with both teams on 10-12 records and attempting to break into the top six.

HUNGRY JACKS NBL ROUND 17

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 94 (Jackson-Cartwright 25, Cheatham 20, Lamb 18)

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 88 (McVeigh 22, Doyle 19, Magnay 15)

BOX SCORE