Loe helps Melbourne to big NZ win

Both teams were missing stars but it was Melbourne United better equipped to cover with Rob Loe enjoying his return to New Zealand with another 25 points as his team beat the Breakers 97-70 in Christchurch.

Heritage Round in the NBL got underway on Thursday night at Wolfbrook Arena with both the Breakers and United looking to shake off having a host of key players sidelined.

New Zealand were still missing Jonah Bolden with Tacko Fall and Dane Pineau joining him out injured leaving them significantly shorthanded up front.

United were also missing gun shooters Ian Clark and Chris Goulding, and their own centre Marcus Lee, and after a tight first half Melbourne held New Zealand to seven third quarter points on the way to a fifth straight victory to maintain top spot at 11-4.

Loe didn’t quite match his career high across 196 games in the NBL of 30 points less than a month ago, but was terrific with 25 points, three rebounds and three assists on 10/16 shooting including a big flush that he celebrated in style in the final quarter.

Jack White added 16 points and 10 rebounds for Melbourne with Matthew Dellavedova contributing 10 points, seven assists and four boards, Shea Ili 10 points, six assists and three rebounds, and Tanner Krebs nine points, three boards, two assists and two steals.

Dean Vickerman's team enjoyed a 26-6 advantage in fast-break points, 16-5 in second-chance points and 10-2 in points from turnovers as their energy overwhelmed the Breakers in the second half.

"We were challenged today and firstly we just talked about the roles that people needed to play and just being themselves, not trying to be Chris or Ian or any one of those guys," Vickerman said.

"The defence that we played in the third quarter, holding them to seven points, was really the game-breaker.

"There was a great synergy to our group today and we had a lot of fun."

The Breakers have now lost three straight at 7-6 with Matt Mooney finishing with 17 points and four rebounds while Sam Mennenga contributed 17 points and four boards, and Parker Jackson-Cartwright 14 points and three rebounds.

"The worst thing tonight was for the first time I didn't see us as a team," New Zealand coach Petteri Koponen said.

"We were talking way too much, we were trying to find excuses all time.

"I know we are having some adversity with all the guys who are injured, guys who are coming back from injuries and trying to find the rhythm with the changes.

"I get it, with the travel and lack of practice time, but still the most important thing for me moving forward is we still have to be playing as a team."

It was a free-flowing contest in the opening quarter with both teams trying to figure some things out with the key pieces they were missing.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Matt Mooney hit early threes to help New Zealand to the 6-2 start which became 12-6 once Sam Mennenga joined the three-point party.

However, Melbourne worked on top from there and outscored the Breakers 22 points to 12 the rest of the first quarter to head into quarter-time leading 28-24.

Things remained tight going into the half-time break, though, with Melbourne clinging to the 46-43 advantage with Rob Loe already having 16 points for United against his former team in his home country.

The Breakers stayed in touch thanks to a combined 37 points of their 43 coming courtesy of Mennenga (15), Mooney (13) and Jackson-Cartwright (nine).

The third quarter has been a struggle for New Zealand at times this season including scoring just three points against Tasmania back in Round 8 and it wasn’t much better on Thursday night in Christchurch.

Melbourne held the Breakers to just seven points in the third term while scoring 24 themselves to blow the game apart before 15 of the first 20 in the fourth period to see the lead blow out to 30 points after another Kyle Bowen bucket.

From there Melbourne ended up with the 27-point victory to earn a measure of revenge on a New Zealand team who beat them by 34 points on their home floor a month ago.

The Breakers have the short turnaround to now playing the Sydney Kings in Wellington on Saturday while United head back home to play host to the Brisbane Bullets on Sunday.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2024/25

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 70 (Mennenga 17, Mooney 17, Jackson-Cartwright 14)

MELBOURNE UNITED 97 (Loe 25, White 16, Ili 10, Dellavedova 10)

BOX SCORE