MK Breakers and Hemel Storm played out a game of the season contender as both sides went toe to toe for four quarters of high-level NBL 1 Basketball.
It was the Storm who narrowly took the win 92-97, ending the Breakers five game winning streak in the process.
Adrian Scarborough led the scoring for the Breakers with 25 points, he added 11 rebounds. Jordan Spencer netted 24 points, with Chris Tawiah scoring 13 for the Breakers.
Ultimately, some strong performances from the Storm including 35 points from Trent Monkman would seal the victory for the league leaders.
It was yet another frantic start between the Storm and Breakers with both sides looking to find their range early in the clash. It would be the visitors who would establish their dominance early though as they pushed out to a nine-point lead in the opening 90-seconds, helped by three successive three point efforts.
It was the Storm who would take control of the game as their 22-0 run helped the league leaders create an early advantage to the tune of 19 points. KJ Johnson was the man to break that run as he netted his first points of the evening thanks to his ‘and-one’ play. That didn’t stop the Storm’s early dominance, however, as they continued their pressure at both ends of the court.
It was a quarter in which everything fell the way of the Storm as they found themselves with a 21-point lead as the first quarter drew to a close. Chris Tawiah and Kai Walker, however, closed that lead to 17 points in the closing seconds of the first, Hemel led 30-13 after the first quarter.
Billy Beddow’s words after the first would have no doubt had an impact as his side found their momentum and reduced the lead to 12 points following Chris Tawiah’s hook shot and Kai Williams’ three point effort. Such was the swing in momentum, the Storm slowed the game down with a number of fouls as they looked to break the rhythm of the Breakers offence. Their dominance on offence and pressure on defence saw the lead reduced to five points as the MK Breakers crows rose to their feet following Spencer’s tough lay-up.
Spencer forced the Storm into using their first timeout, as the Breakers were leading the second quarter 18-6 with five-minutes left to play in the half. Spencer would pull that lead to four points as he hit 14 points for the game following Eze’s jump shot. Tawiah would then make it a two-point game as the Breakers continued their second quarter dominance
KJ Johnson kept the Breakers within two points of the Storm as they went bucket for bucket before Adrian Scarborough levelled the scoring. The Storm would take the lead once again and pushed out to a five-point advantage However, Nate Robinson’s free throw and Adrian Scarborough’s late layup pulled the Breakers to within one point of the Storm completing an incredible second quarter which saw the hosts trail 43-44 at half time.
It was the Storm who netted the first points in the third as Monkman’s lay-up opened the half, but Nate Robinson would hit back straight away. Joran Spencer would follow suit as he kept the Breakers within one following Nelson-Henry’s bucket, The Breakers would level the scoring through Scarborough, but Monkman would add four points to push the Storm ahead once again.
Nate Robinson would go two-for-two from the line after he was fouled, but Moton would keep the lead at four with his lay-up. Tawiah ensured that lead was cut to two points before Scarborough would level with his tricky lay-up. Chris Tawiah was presented with the chance to give the Breakers the lead after he was fouled and he duly obliged as the Breakers completed a mammoth comeback.
Adrian Scarborough was the man to extend that lead with his dunk, but as per the story of the third the Storm would retake the lead as Newman sunk his three-point effort with Monkman scoring his two free throws moments later. Romario Spence pulled the Breakers to within two once again, before Adrian Scarborough levelled with his two free throws.
Monkman pushed the lead to three points with his effort from beyond the arc, but Kai Walker would level with his own three-point effort as the two sides entered the final quarter level at 69 each.
Adrian Scarborough would start the scoring in the fourth with Kai Walker making it a three-point game with his free throw. Jordan Spencer pushed that gap to five points, before Kai Walker forced Storm into a timeout as he sunk his three pointer to put the Breakers up by eight.
Nelson-Henry put a dent in that lead, but Johnson would hit right back to restore the eight-point advantage. Monkman continued his impressive afternoon as he took himself to 22 points following two successful three throws, before Eze pulled his side to within four of the lead. Sam Newman pulled the Storm to within two points before Storm took the lead following Moton’s three pointer.
The gap was further extended through Nelson-Henry, but Scarborough would bring the Breakers to within one with his two successful attempts from the line. Monkman would restore the three-point gap, before the same man made that lead four points. Scarborough pulled the Breakers to within two, but Monkman continued his fine afternoon as his three-point effort all but sealed the win for the Storm as they went up by five with two minutes left to play.
The Breakers, however, continued to push all the way to the final whistle, with Spencer’s three pointer bringing his side to within two points of the lead. It was that man Monkman who once again pushed the Storm back ahead by four points with his two free throws, with Eze making it five points seconds later.
That would prove to be the final points of the evening as the final whistle blew on one of the finest games of the season.
The Breakers are in action twice this week, with a rate midweek game on Thursday 6th March against Bristol Hurricanes. It will be a 7pm tip off a Bletchley Leisure Centre with tickets available HERE.
The team then head north to take on Nottingham Hoods at the Motorpoint Arena on Sunday as part of the Superleague Basketball Cup Finals, with tip off schedules for 6:15pm. Tickets available HERE.
