Breakers Academy head coach Judd Flavell was forced to bring in reinforcements for the second game against Indiana Wesleyan University. Tohi Smith-Milner (strained back) and Luuk Witteveen (fractured wrist) both sustained injuries in the game the previous night and were replaced by former Academy members Nick Barrow (Waikato Pistons) and Brad Anderson (Taranaki Mountain Airs). Also called into the team was North Harbour U23 rep Saman Mohammadi. The Academy made a strong start racing to a 6-0 lead courtesy of baskets from Yuat Alok and Brad Anderson before Indiana Wesleyan responded with a 9-0 run to forge ahead, Thereafter the game took on a similar shape to the previous encounter. IWU built a six point buffer at quarter time and maintained the advantage to lead 39-32 at the main interval. Barrow and Anderson were strong for the Breakers but they were powerless to stop a 10-0 surge from the visitors to open the second half, the lead blowing out to 64-45 at threequarter time. As in the first game the Academy saved their best until last. Still twenty points down with 4:25 remaining, Anderson brought the goodish crowd to life with a steal and a dunk, two points that began a scoring frenzy from the Breakers as Barrow, Mohammadi, Jaylen Gerrand, and Dier Makoii all got in on the act to reduce the defecit to ten points with 1:50 remaining. A pair of free throws and a bucket from Matt Lacey plus another score from Gerrand had the IWU students looking over their shoulder but they were able to hold on for a deserved 79-76 victory – the Breakers ruing their poor third quarter performance.
Final Score: Indiana Wesleyan University 79 Breakers Academy 76 (Brad Anderson 25, Nick Barrow 11, Jaylen Gerrand 9)
LACEY LOWDOWN 