Sports Betting, Sports News, Sports Updates, Australia

Where and When: Wednesday 25 February, State Netball and Hockey Centre, 7.30pm (AEDT)

Past Three Head-to-Head
Melbourne Tigers 95-89 New Zealand Breakers, Round 19 2009.
New Zealand Breakers 85-103 Melbourne Tigers, Round 19 2009.
Melbourne Tigers 84-86 New Zealand Breakers, Round 8 2008.

Season Series
Series tied 2-2

Final Standings
Tigers (20-10) second, Breakers (18-12) third

New Zealand appears to be back to their best after thumping the Adelaide 36ers to the tune of 30 points last Thursday.

They will need to be firing on all cylinders once again on Wednesday night if they are going to overcome a Melbourne side that has restricted them to less than 90 points in the past three clashes between these two sides.

Instrumental in the win over the 36ers was star guards Kirk Penney and CJ Bruton who scored 31 and 26 points respectively.

Penney and Bruton were particularly damaging from beyond the arc, combining for 12 three-pointers in the quarter-final win over the 36ers.

But the Tigers can’t be too Penney and Bruton conscious because New Zealand has several other players that are capable of knocking down the three-ball.

Oscar Forman has hit the most three’s of anyone in the NBL this season while Phill Jones is 10th in that category.

Melbourne will need to guard the perimeter and also prevent the Breakers from moving the ball quickly on offence otherwise the likes of Bruton. Penney, Jones and co. will have wide open looks.

The last time these two sides met in round 19 Chris Anstey starred with 20 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and four steals.

Anstey was in some doubt for this clash due to a knee injury but the Melbourne centre was passed fit on Tuesday and will play a key role in determining the outcome of this match.

New Zealand centre Rick Rickert will need to apply plenty of defensive pressure and also keep Anstey off the boards if the Breakers are going to take a one-nil lead in the series.

Melbourne import Ebi Ere is another man the Breakers must stop if they are going to get a vital win on the road.

In the round 19 win over the Breakers in New Zealand Ere proved to be the difference between the two sides, scoring 20 of his 22 points in the second term to inspire the Tigers to a convincing 18-point win.

Penney looms as a likely option to go head-to-head with Ere in what shapes as being a crucial match-up in determining the outcome of this match.

The New Zealand guard will need to be switched on defensively for the full 48 minutes because Ere can turn a game on its head in the space of a quarter.

Penney is one of the best three-point shooters in the league but the Breakers will also need him to attack the basket and try and get Ere into early foul trouble.

These two sides are relatively evenly matched but with a parochial home crowd behind them the Tigers should prevail in a tight one with big-game players Anstey and Ere set to be the difference.

This punter suggests putting your money on a Tigers’ win by 1-10, offering $2.85.

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