The New Zealand Breakers kept their slim NBL finals hopes alive with a stunning come from behind 88-87 win over the Adelaide 36ers last night.
Kirk Penney in action for the Breakers Photo: Photosport
The top of the table 36ers looked comfortable with a 12-point lead at three quarter time.
But in a remarkable turn of events, the Breakers rallied behind Kirk Penney, Kevin Dillard and Rob Loe to steal the game at the death knell, holding a two-point lead with 50 seconds remaining.
Adelaide had three chances on their final possession, but it was a backcourt turnover by Daniel Johnson with 30 seconds left that truly cost the home side.
New Zealand's individual heroics in the last five minutes were something the NBL has not seen in a long time.
Penney was the recipient of an unsportsmanlike foul while going up for a lay-up and had six points in a minute, Dillard nailed three clutch free throws and Rob Loe put in a go-ahead bucket.
"Extremely proud of the guys for responding the way that they did. We haven't been able to come out of that hole in previous weeks. [Adelaide] dictated the tempo early but we were able to wrestle it back," Breakers coach Paul Henare said.
What was even more remarkable was the dramatic double technical foul and ejection of Adelaide coach Joey Wright in the opening minutes of the second quarter.
A furious Wright was tossed from the stadium, only to be joined three quarters later by Breaker veteran Mika Vukona who received the match's second double technical and ejection.
New Zealand's Finn Delany put the wind in the Breakers' sail in the first quarter, helping himself to five points and four rebounds off the pine.
Meanwhile, Adelaide uncharacteristically shot donuts from three as the Breakers landed 4/9 from deep to edge to a 22-16 lead. Paul Carter came to the party in the second stanza on an inbound pass - bouncing the ball off an unaware Matt Hodgson's back, resulting in a Mika Vukona lay-up.
By half-time Adelaide statistically were in a world of trouble, amassing eight turnovers. Remarkably the coach-less league leaders remained in the contest 45-49 behind Johnson's 16 points.
But the momentum swung when Vukona took a seat on four fouls, as Hodgson took full advantage inside. Vukona returned to play 30 seconds of the final term before receiving his fifth foul on top of a double technical and an ejection.
Akil Mitchell watched on in his second straight game on the sidelines after suffering the horrific eye injury against Cairns last round.
The Breakers could still snare fourth spot facing Melbourne United at home in a must-win final regular season game.
