Box Score: MK Breakers 81-82 Newcastle Knights
MK Breakers suffered their first defeat in over a year as Newcastle Knights ran out 82-81 winners in a thriller at Bletchley Leisure Centre. The loss snaps a 36 game win-streak dating back to October 7th 2023.
KJ Johnson’s 35 points wasn’t enough for the Breakers as Corey Johnson scored a free-throw with 4.7 seconds left to seal the game for the visiting Knights.
The Breakers kept their starting five the same as their win over Bradford Dragons with KJ Johnson, Nate Robinson, Kai Walker, Adrian Scarborough and Luke Gregory all starting from the off.
The first points of the afternoon came via the visitors with Rooney and Blain opening up an early 5-0 lead for the Knights. KJ Johnson netted the first points for the Breakers, but Blain struck twice in quick succession to put the Knights up by eight. The fast-paced start continued with Scarborough reducing the lead to seven points, before Luke Gregory made that lead six points.
KJ Johnson’s driving layup followed by his successful free throw pulled the Breakers to within three points of the lead, before Walker’s second driving layup of the quarter put the Breakers to within one point and forcing the visitors into a timeout before he then made the following free throw to level the scores.
Newcastle, however, retook the lead as Johnson saw his three-point effort converted, the Breakers, however, then took the lead for the first time in the match as Scarborough and Tawiah scored their first points of the clash. Temi George then made back-to-back free throws to put the Breakers up by three, with Robinson extending that advantage to six with his first free pointer of the evening.
Temi George continued to make an impact off the bench with a successful three-point effort, with Troy McIndoe maintaining the Breakers’ seven point lead with his hook-shot. The lead at the end of the first quarter, however, would sit at four points as Johnson’s three-point effort ensured the Breakers led 25-21 heading into the second.
It was Newcastle who scored the first points of the second quarter through Rooney, but KJ Johnson displayed his class as he calmly put three points on the board from beyond the arc. The visitors, however, would put themselves ahead thanks to five points from Johnson. Blayne Freckleton then netted his first points of the evening with his three points KJ Johnson continued his impressive evening as he took himself to 15 points with a tough layup to bring the Breakers lead to four. He took that tally to 17 points as the game entered the final five minutes of the half, before Tawiah put the Breakers ahead by five points.
Newcastle pushed hard and continued to score well, Blain pulled the visitors to within four points of the lead, with Yabantu’s three pointer bringing the gap to just one point. KJ Johnson would push that advantage back to three, with Scarborough making it a two possession game with a minute left in the first half. KJ Johnson then took himself to an impressive 21 points in just 17-minutes of action with another two successful free throws. That would prove to be the closing points of the first half as the Breakers took a 44-37 lead into the break.
Newcastle opened the scoring in the third as Rooney converted his three-point jump shot, with Johnson opening the Breakers account as he converted twice from the free throw line. It was Johnson who extended the lead further with another driving layup adding two points to his already impressive performance. Nate Robinson gave the Breakers their biggest lead of the evening as his three-point effort took the Breakers lead to ten points, Newcastle hit back with two successful free throws, but Tawiah was on hand to put the Breakers advantage back to double digits. Rooney, however, put three points on the board to bring the Knights to within seven.
The Breakers then showcased both sides of their game as Temi George came up clutch with a block on Rooney, before KJ Johnson got the Breakers fans off their feet with yet another successful three-point effort, which Nate Robinson followed up shortly after with a powerful dunk. The Knights, however, were still within touching distance of the Breakers and would pull themselves to within six before Blayne Freckleton converted his second three pointer of the evening.
Rooney opened the scoring in the fourth to pull the Knights to within six points of the Breakers, which soon became three points following Matthews lay-up. Walker would put the Breakers advantage to five points, but the Knights would continue their momentum making it a three-point advantage, which quickly became a one point game and moments later a tied game before Newcastle would take the lead.
Chris Tawiah would level the scoring, but Newcastle hit straight back to retake the lead, Scarborough would then get the Breakers crowd going once again with his dunk, but the story of the quarter continued as Riley put his side back ahead, with this time the Knights taking a four-point lead through Rooney.
KJ Johnson cut that lead down to two points, but that lead returned to four, which Johnson cut down to one point with just over three minutes left on the clock. Rooney, however, sunk an effortless three that saw the visitors all but seal victory at Bletchley Leisure Centre. The visitors extended their advantage to six points, but Walker was on hand to half that lead with his three point effort.
Walker pulled the Breakers to within two points as he made one of his two free throws, before he took to the line for a further two points with the chance to level the scoring. Walker made the first and followed up with the second to level the scoring. Newcastle went straight down the other end to put themselves back ahead by two points, Johnson levelled the scoring with one possession left, but with 4.7 seconds left to play Johnson took to the line, he sunk his first three throws, which was enough to secure the win with Johnson’s effort from deep missing narrowly.
KJ Johnson led the Breakers with 35 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Corey Johnson was the star for the Knights with 31 points whilst Logan Rooney adding 23 of his own.
The Breakers are back in action next Saturday with a trip to Bristol Hurricanes. Tickets available HERE.
