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CJ Bruton missed a tonne of three-point attempts but drilled them when it counted as the Breakers edged Adelaide 99-91 in overtime at the North Shore Events Centre on Thursday night
Bruton's clutch three right on fulltime sent the game into overtime before he sunk another to win the game.
The classy point guard finished a mere 3/14 from beyond the perimeter but had a game-high 27 points and eight assists.
It was a victory that was edge of the seat material after the Breakers allowed the 36ers to wipe off an 18-point halftime lead.
New Zealand's usual flair from beyond the perimeter was severely lacking with a horror statistic of 4/22 three-point attempts (18%).
But Rick Rickert put in yet another double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while fellow big man Tom Abercrombie scored 20 points and five rebounds.
The win keeps the Breakers a perfect four-from-four on their home court and extends their season record to 4-3.
Hot start
The Breakers were off to a hot start with their solid defence forcing turnovers and helping them to a 6-0 run at the offensive end.
But the 36ers were quick to respond with Adam Ballinger knocking down shots to keep the scores tight.
The defensive intensity was highly charged from both sides throughout the first quarter with points proving an absolute premium.
Rickert slammed down a huge dunk with time expiring to guide the Breakers into quarter time with a 22-16 lead.
Momentum stayed with New Zealand in the second period as the hosts quickly raced out to a double-digit buffer.
Defence tatters
Adelaide's defence was in tatters as the Breakers monstered home five dunks in the first three minutes through Alex Pledger and Tom Abercrombie.
In fact the Breakers scored the first 18 points of the quarter before the Sixers could even manage a bucket.
The 36ers would have been relieved to see halftime come around with the Breakers dominating 49-31.
Rickert (11 points, five rebounds) and Abercrombie (10 points, three rebounds) proved the leading destroyers at the major break.
Stern words must have been spilled in the locker room because Adelaide came out firing in the third quarter and made swift work, slicing the deficit to 10 points after four minutes.
Point guard John Gilchrist was full of energy and had a hand in every play as the visitors kept chipping away.
Shots weren't dropping for the Breakers and by the end of the third quarter they had surrendered the lead 66-64.
Bruton drained his side's first three-pointer of the night with six minutes left on the clock to level the scores at 70 apiece.
Then with Adelaide leading by three, Bruton delivered a triple with five seconds on the clock to send the game into overtime.
CJ knocked down another three early in overtime - the Breakers finally finding the spark they had lost in the second half.
Abercrombie sealed the deal, fouled on the way to a huge dunk.
The Breakers (4-3) host the Gold Coast Blaze at the North Shore Events Centre next Thursday night.
Breakers 99: (Bruton 27, Abercrombie 20,
Rickert 16)
36ers 91: (Gilchrist 26, Ballinger 15, Hill
15)
Halftime: Breakers 49-31
