The New Zealand Breakers have claimed a much-needed NBL win, finding some bite to down the Tasmania JackJumpers 82-65.
The last-placed Breakers scored 18 straight points either side of quarter-time and then remained in control through the second half to secure just their second win of the season on Friday.
Superstar guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright finished with 21 points and six assists in the win with under-pressure import Izaiah Brockington more aggressive for 17 points and six rebounds.
Sam Mennenga also battled hard down low for the hosts to notch 12 points and eight rebounds with Next Star Karim Lopez adding nine points and seven boards.
The JackJumpers arrived at Auckland's Spark Arena at 4-2 with five of those six matches on the road and started strongly with an early 14-6 lead.
But the Breakers were able to turn things around and outscored Tasmania 76-51 the rest of the way which included scoring the last six points of the first quarter, and the first 12 of the second.
The JackJumpers didn't score for almost six minutes of that second quarter with the Breakers leading 40-31 at the half despite missing all 13 of their three-point attempts.
They did take 18 extra shot attempts, though, having forced Tasmania into eight turnovers and while collecting 11 offensive rebounds, and then the Breakers kept the momentum going in the second half.
The Breakers lead got out to 21 by three quarter-time and even though Ben Ayre hit three triples to keep Tasmania in touch in the fourth term, he soon left frustrated after fouling out.
The JackJumpers fought it out as expected, but the Breakers had done enough for the 17-point win to improve to 2-5 on the back of 25 more shot attempts with 19 offensive rebounds and just two turnovers to overcome shooting 2-of-26 from three.
Breakers coach Petteri Koponen was delighted to win by controlling the effort areas.
"The biggest thing was that last game we had 21 turnovers and today we took care of the ball, and it was something we emphasised a lot and we had two," he said.
We were pretty good defensively and still we didn't shoot the ball well, but we found a way to win the game with the 19 offensive rebounds and everybody contributed who stepped onto the floor."
Tasmania now have nine days before playing again on the road to Sydney having shot just 39 per cent from the field with 5-of-19 from downtown with captain Will Magnay top-scoring with 14 points to go with 12 rebounds.
Bryce Hamilton added 13 points, five rebounds and three assists, Ayre 11 points, and Josh Bannan 10 points and eight boards.
JackJumpers coach Scott Roth knows not many teams will win too often with the numbers against them as they were.
"Obviously the Breakers were really good tonight and got after us, and the thing that jumps out to you is the offensive rebounding," he said.
They smashed us in the first half especially and that differential led to their points in the paint and that was really all she wrote from there."
