DrinkWise Preview: Round 11 Game 1 v New Zealand Breakers

Melbourne United returned to the winners list in Round 10 with a victory over the Illawarra Hawks on Sunday afternoon and will be looking to continue that trend on Thursday night against the New Zealand Breakers in Bendigo.

Sitting second on the ladder, United will need to keep their foot on the pedal in the second half of the season as the chasing pack continues to come quickly.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Jock Landale was the player that kept United in the game against the Hawks on Sunday when things weren’t going the team’s way. Landale was a constant scoring threat throughout the game and showcased just how important he is on both ends of the court.

Finishing with a game-high 19 points on a very efficient 70% shooting from the field, to go along with 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block, Landale kept the scoreboard ticking over, before Chris Goulding took over in the fourth quarter.

Landale is currently leading United in scoring with 17.1 points and rebounds with 7.9 boards per game. He’s also dishing 2.4 assists and shooting 53% from the field. Landale is United’s engine and when he gets going, Melbourne is a very difficult team to keep up with.

KEY MATCH UP

Two of the best scorers in the league will feature heavily in this match, with Chris Goulding and Tai Webster both capable of changing the course of a game with their ability to shoot the basketball.

Goulding was unstoppable in the fourth quarter against the Hawks on Sunday, guiding United home with 12 fourth-quarter points, highlighted by a four-point play and dagger triple on back-to-back possessions in the final two minutes.

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Webster tried to do all he could in the Breakers last outing, and despite New Zealand losing by 21 points against Brisbane, he finished with a team-high 19 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds. Webster is one of the most exciting players to watch in the league and the same can absolutely be said about Goulding.

With that in mind, sit back and enjoy these two professional scorers attempt to shoot their team to victory.

THE OTHER GUYS

The Breakers are having a tough season, but they’ve made incredible sacrifices in being away from their families and staying in Australia for months, so they should be applauded for that.

New Zealand owns a 4-10 record and currently sits eighth on the ladder. Tai Webster (20 points, 5.6 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game) has been the standout performer from the Breakers all season long and will obviously be a major threat on Thursday night.

Webster is the key piece of New Zealand’s puzzle, but they have others who have stood up at various times throughout the season.

Finn Delany has been in scintillating form, averaging 22 points and 7.7 rebounds over his past three games. That stretch includes a monster 30-point and 7-rebound effort against Perth.

Colton Iverson has been a solid contributor for the Breakers, averaging 8.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, while shooting a very healthy 59% from the field.

Tom Abercrombie was the man of the moment back in Round 9 when he drained the buzzer-beating triple to win the game for New Zealand against Cairns. It was a moment to savour for a man who has been the heartbeat of the Breakers for so long. If it’s a close game, Abercrombie is a guy you need to keep an eye on!

GAME INFO

Who: New Zealand Breakers v Melbourne United
Tip off: 7:30pm (AEDT), Thursday 25 March.
Where: Bendigo Basketball Stadium, Bendigo.
Tickets: https://bit.ly/2NEl0iP
Watch: ESPN and SBS On Demand.