BREAKERS SECURE HISTORIC HOME SEMIFINAL IN OVERTIME

Tom Abercrombie has had countless huge moments as one of the Sky Sport Breakers all-time greats, but his steal to close Saturday night's game with the Brisbane Bullets secured the 80-75 overtime win and second spot for his team.

Abercrombie was playing the 391st game of a career with the Breakers that's already seen him be part of four championship and be the Grand Final MVP in one of those, but he continues to be the inspirational leader for his team.

All New Zealand had to do was go into Nissan Arena on Saturday night and beat the second last placed Bullets to guarantee themselves second position and an automatic place in the semi finals.

However, the Bullets were not in a giving mood and wanted to reward their biggest home crowd of the season, 5253, with a win to thank them for their loyalty after a tough NBL23 that promise so much.

Brisbane did throw the challenge down to New Zealand leading by 12 during the second quarter and even though the Breakers came out strongly to start the second half, they could never shake the Bullets.

Scores were locked at 71-71 at the end of regulation but in overtime, it was a massive Will McDowell-White three-pointer and then a steal from Abercrombie up top on Nathan Sobey that secured the crucial win.

Sobey was all set to try and make a play to level scores up again, but Abercrombie picked his pocket and the Breakers went on to win by five to finish the regular season in second spot at 18-10. 

They will now wait to find out who they play in the semi finals while Brisbane's season ends at 8-20.

Jarrell Brantley started the game continuing his hot shooting for New Zealand with a three-pointer, but the Bullets soon settled into the contest and it was Boomers pair Nathan Sobey and Aron Baynes leading the charge.

Baynes and Rasmus Bach, against his former team, then hit threes heading towards quarter-time to give Brisbane the narrow 18-16 advantage with both teams shooting 6/15 from the field.

New Zealand might have needed the win, but Brisbane wanted to end the season on a high and showed that to start the second quarter. Tyler Johnson opened his scoring account and then the home team went on a 10-0 run.

That was capped off with three-pointers from Andrew White III and Baynes to see the lead get out to 30-18 and the Breakers had some work to do. 

A pair of threes from Izayah Le'afa and then another from Tom Vodanovich were important for New Zealand, and so was another from captain Tom Abercrombie, but still the Bullets led 42-36 going into half-time.

Baynes was the game's leading scorer with 12 points and after a season of frustration, he was enjoying himself and the Bullets also got to the foul line 12 times to just four from the Breakers.

New Zealand needed to respond with the difference between finishing second and third significant, and they did. The Breakers came out to start the second half with a 13-3 run including a three to Brantley, and and-one completions from Dererk Pardon and McDowell-White.

That had New Zealand out to a four-point lead but Brisbane wouldn’t go away and by three quarter-time, the two teams couldn’t be separated with scores locked at 54-54.

Breakers coach Mody Maor implored his captain to shoot his shot at three quarter-time, and Abercrombie knocked down a three-pointer to start the fourth period.

Things got decidedly untidy over the next couple of minutes before a nice fadeaway jumpers for Brisbane from Sobey, and then Abercrombie put New Zealand back on top with another three ball.

The Bullets stayed in touch, though, and a late three-pointer from Tyler Johnson kept them within two.

Baynes then made one free-throw before McDowell-White coughed up a turnover for the Breakers with a poor pass to give the Bullets the chance after a timeout with 12 seconds to play.

In the end, Johnson was isolated with Le'afa up top, he drove and was fouled with 5.7 to go. He made both to give Brisbane the one-point lead with a timeout to New Zealand.

Out of that play, McDowell-White found Loe rolling to the bucket on the inbounds pass. Baynes fouled him and Loe made one, and the game went to overtime just to add to the drama.

Both teams appeared out on their feet during overtime and Pardon and Loe fouling out for the Breakers didn’t help their cause with so much at stake.

In the end, New Zealand was up one when the Bullets sent Brantley to the stripe with 16 seconds to go. He made both but Brisbane had one last chance out of a timeout.

It was all set up for Sobey to make a play, but Abercrombie pulled off the steal and the win, and second place, was secured for New Zealand.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 18

BRISBANE BULLETS 75 (Baynes 17, Johnson 15, Sobey 14)

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 80 (Brantley 19, McDowell-White 15, Abercrombie 14) 

BOX SCORE