Anthony Lamb of the Breakers. Photo: Photosport
The Breakers have picked up their first road win of the Australian NBL season with a 97-92 victory over the Tasmania JackJumpers in Launceston on Thursday night.
The Auckland-based club moves to three wins from nine games off the back of strong performances from import players Anthony Lamb and Parker Jackson-Cartwright as well as crucial plays from Izayah Le'afa.
Lamb had a 20 point first half as the Breakers went in to halftime with a 56-47 lead having made 6-of-10 of their three-point attempts.
In the third quarter Jackson-Cartwright took over where Lamb left off with 10 points himself to keep the Breakers 13 in front by three quarter-time.
The JackJumpers made a late charge but the Breakers held on.
The Breakers were up nine with two and-a-half minutes left on the clock before the JackJumpers closed the deficit to one with a minute to go.
However a steal at midcourt from Le'afa, who went up to lay it in, secured the win.
Breakers coach Mody Maor was not quite ready to call the result a turning point in a tough season.
"We showed character, we showed toughness, we played together and we played well. It's a very big win for us," he said.
"We have a strong locker room with people who care and I'm happy they responded the way they did. But this is just step one, it's not one step that we need to make. There's a lot and we can still be a lot better."
Lamb finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Jackson-Cartwright added 22 points, four rebounds and three assists.
The Breakers will now be sweating on the fitness of guard Will McDowell-White, who picked up a knee injury in the second half, ahead of Sunday's game against the Illawarra Hawks in Auckland.