Derek Rucker “poked the bear” ahead of Wednesday’s NBL play-in eliminator in Sydney, only to hear about it later as Breakers recruit Parker Jackson-Cartwright delivered one of the best post-season performances in club history.
The diminutive Breakers point guard was clearly motivated by former league MVP turned NBL analyst Rucker’s assessment of him in a video countdown of the league’s best players ahead of the Australian league’s playoffs, and the result was a claws-out performance that led a battered Kiwi squad to a memorable 83-76 victory.
In a play-in qualifier between the league’s fifth and sixth finishers, and a rematch of last season’s grand final series won 3-2 by the Kings, the Breakers sent the back-to-back champions packing, and advanced to another sudden-death matchup against the Illawarra Hawks on Monday to decide the fourth semifinalist.
Jackson-Cartwright was nothing short of brilliant as he carried an undermanned and wounded Breakers squad and simply willed them over the finish line, overcoming deficits of up to 13 in the first half and nine at halftime.
The 28-year-old Californian and first-year Breaker scored a game-high 34 points, the club’s equal-highest total in the last eight years, on 11-of-22 shooting, including four of seven from deep. The explosive guard’s ability to beat defenders off the dribble, finish in the paint at gravity-defying angles, and knock down the pullup jumper was on full display as he mesmerized the Kings’ defense.
Rucker had rated Jackson-Cartwright No 7 on a list of the top-15 performers in the league. He had (in descending order) Jo Lual-Acuil (Melbourne), Mitch Creek (SEM PHoenix), Jaylen Adams (Kings), Chris Goulding (Melbourne), injured Breakers team-mate Anthony Lamb and Perth star Bryce Cotton ranked ahead of him.
As the game wrapped up Jackson-Cartwright, after having plenty to say to the fans, made his way to the commentary table and aimed a verbal spray at Rucker right as the commentary team were wrapping up their coverage.
“Parker is Parker, man, he doesn’t really change,” Breakers coach Mody Maor said of his star import’s zeal and exuberance. “He’s always the same. But I appreciate Derek and how he graded the players. I believe Parker had something to prove.
“I don’t think he played so good, so we think we need to poke the bear again and see what we can get the next one.”
Breakers forward Zylan Cheatham, sitting next to Maor, chuckled and wryly added, “He played horrible.”
Rucker, later in his game wrap for the cameras, praised Jackson-Cartwright’s performance, noted it was unusual for a smaller player to dominate so much in playoff hoops and took his end-game spray on the chin.
“I don’t mind when a player comes at me,” said the former NBL star who now works for the league in a commentary role. “That’s what it’s about. You want to see that fire.
“I don’t want to see passive or timid players. Respect to PJC; he got it done, and when you win, you smile and push your chest out like a boss.”
The Breakers will remain in Australia to prepare for the Wollongong game, with guard Will McDowell-White (shoulder) and Cheatham (ankle) recovering from injuries sustained in Wednesday night’s furious duel.
They do not have to worry about their little “bear” being prepared for more sudden-death hoops.
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