Kop fumes over PJC rib injury

New Zealand Breakers coach Petteri Koponen has been calling for greater protection for Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Friday night showed just why when he suffered a rib injury that could prematurely end his season.

Two things have concerned Koponen all season long when it's come to the physical way that Jackson-Cartwright has been defended across the league in an attempt to slow him down and limit his influence.

The first issue has been that simply Jackson-Cartwright has deserved to get more calls go his way with the way he's defended, but then secondly he has been concerned that it could lead to an injury.

That was realised in Christchurch on Friday night against the Brisbane Bullets when midway through the fourth quarter Jackson-Cartwright took a knock to the ribs, had to leave the game and Koponen now feels his season is over.

Koponen was still furious after the game, but now he is just most disappointed at the prospect of Jackson-Cartwright having to miss the last three games having just played three back from suspension.

"It's unfortunate of course and everybody we wish that everything will be fine with Parker and he will get healthy," Koponen said.

"But it's just unfortunate and when you don't call the fouls the next contact is going to be even harder, and we have been seeing some things like this all season and now our best got injured.

"He couldn’t finish the game so of course it hurt us, but if he is out then the other guys need to step up and use that opportunity to show what they can do."

While the health now of Jackson-Cartwright is the primary concern of Koponen, he also couldn’t help but reflect on how big of a moment in the game it was to lose their superstar with five minutes to go as they were trying to mount a fightback.

To not have a foul call that Koponen felt was obvious, and for that same play to lead to an injury, illustrated what the coach has been concerned about all season.

"This was a big moment obviously in the game and I just don't know how the referees don't make this call," Koponen said.

"It was in front of him and they hit him with a shoulder and probably broke his rib, and he's going to the hospital. He said there was no foul and I just don't understand how it wasn’t a foul.

"I've had this topic many times about Parker especially because he's such a fast guy and they are just not calling that contact.

"That one was so clear in front of the referee and it changed the game, and now he might be out for the rest of the season again without a foul called."

There are still positives to take from any situation and the emergence this season for the Breakers in the four spot of Max Darling has without doubt been a significant one.

The 24-year-old had his first chance back in NBL21 at the Illawarra Hawks before joining the Breakers last season where he made just one appearance, but now in NBL25 he has shown that he more than belongs in the league.

Koponen certainly agrees and sees him as a cornerstone for the Breakers to continue to build around.

"Max is definitely one of our best defenders and we don’t have too many of them, and in this league everyone talks about offence but as a coach, it's those effort plays that are the winning plays," Koponen said.

"He's on the right path and the next step is to keep that hunger, and to keep that fire because there are no magic tricks to get better as a player. It's about dedication and hard work, and putting the work in."

Breaking into the top six might be now out of the equation for the Breakers, but Koponen still wants to see them give their all over their final three games starting against the high-powered 36ers in Adelaide on Sunday.

"I think this group deserves to finish the season the right way by going into every game playing for each other, and trying to finish strong these last three games starting from Adelaide immediately," Koponen said.

"We go there and play against a really good basketball team, but we go there to fight and compete before finishing the season with two home games at Spark."