An Adam Gibson inspired Gold Coast Blaze has scored a 90-83 win over New Zealand Breakers at the Gold Coast Convention Centre on New Years Eve.
Gibson came within a whisker of a triple-double, stacking the stat-sheet with nine points, eight boards and seven assists but it was his defence – particularly on Kirk Penney which was most outstanding.
Penney finished with a game high 20 points but Gibson made him earn every one, pestering last years’ premier scorer into 5-of-16 shooting and drawing three charges in the process.
The win is Gold Coast’s ninth in a row at home and propels them back to the top of the league.
Anthony Petrie had another strong game with 18 points and eight boards as well as a momentum swinging block as the Breakers made their charge.
Gold Coast flew out of the blocks with the twin spark of Gibson and Ubaka igniting the home side. Craig Bradshaw opened the scoring with a surprise three from the wing.
Gibson assumed the role of Kirk Penney’s hopeful captor and put the stops on the Kiwi star from the opening whistle.
Bradshaw was dragged from the court early after giving up soft rebounds but he came back with a renewed hunger, attacking the ball as he and Ronaldson beat up on each other down low.
Petrie had eight in the first term and Thomas Abercrombie had a savage put-back dunk for the visitors but the home side went to the first break leading 24-19.
The Breakers started to get some fluent motion in their offence in the second term; Penney finally got free from Gibson and made him pay with the visitors first three of the night.
Harvey struck back with a fade-away two from the baseline, but with Ubaka refusing to move the ball the visitors were starting to get a read on the Blaze offence.
Chris Goulding hit a three from the corner to open a five point lead with less than 10 seconds to play in the half but the Breakers hit the front with a bizarre double play before the siren.
John Rillie sent up a long triple with the seconds running down and Ronaldson drew a foul in the paint just as the ball swished. Ronaldson went to the line for two; he hit the first and as the second rimmed out Greg Vanderjagt got a finger to the ball and sent it back in to hand the Breakers six points in two seconds and a 42-41 half-time lead.
Gold Coast made a 7-0 charge late in the third term with Petrie and Mika Vukona prominent on the end of clean lead-up work from Gibson and the Blaze went into the final break leading by 5.
Breakers made a late run at the game and closed within a couple of points with three minutes to play, but when Petrie swatted CJ Bruton’s attempted equaliser with gusto, the wind was gone from the visitors sails.
Gold Coast (11-7) now has a week long break before travelling north for a tough back-to-back against Townsville and Cairns. The Breakers (9-10) next fixture is against the Hawks in Wollongong on the sixth of January before crossing the country to face Perth at Challenge Stadium two days later.
Gold Coast Blaze 90 (Petrie 18, Harvey 14, Ubaka 14)
New Zealand Breakers 83 (Penney 20, Ronaldson 12, Bruton 12)
@ Gold Coast Convention Centre, 31/12/09. Crowd: 3,872
