The Breakers Academy were beaten by Indiana Wesleyan University 96-83 at Atlas Place on Wednesday night. The Wildcats were ranked 7th in the NAIA National Championships with a 26-7 record last season and their cohesion and unity were in evidence from the opening jump ball. IWU had established a 23-15 advantage by quarter time, the Breakers jolted by the loss of Tohi Smith-Milner who fell awkwardly, landing on his back while securring a defensive rebound, and taking no further part in the game. The second period was again in favour of the visitors, the young Breakers team, all but one of whom are still at school, were struggling to cope with the speed and physicality of the Tigers. The Breakers did finish the half on a high note as Derone Raukawa landed a jumper and Matt Lacey a triple but the students were in the ascendancy 46-32.
Despite an early basket fron Yuat Alok the Breakers started the third period poorly committing far too many turnovers and finding themselves in a deep hole, 64-34 in arrears just three minutes into the quarter. However, led by Jaylen Gerrand the Breakers fought back strongly in the closing stages of the period but still trailed 72-51 with ten minutes remaining. To their credit the Academy, thirty points down with seventeen minutes to play, looked as if they might fall apart against their bigger, stronger opponents but coped well with the IWU strength and aggression in the later stages of the game and won the final quarter by double digits. Denhym Brooke and Alok made scores in the paint and Gerrand, Lacey and Raukawa all made threes to give the score-line an air of respectability.
Final score: Indiana Wesleyan University 96 Breakers Academy 83 (Jaylen Gerrand 20, Derone Raukawa 18, Yuat Alok 14)
The two teams meet again on Thursday night at Tamaki Recreation Centre, tip off 7.30pm.
LACEY LOWDOWN 