After squandering a seven-point lead late in the fourth quarter, the Santa Barbara Breakers composed themselves just in time to squeak past the Orange County Gladiators 97-94 Saturday at the Sports Pavilion.
Six days after putting up a league-record 154 points, the Breakers found themselves in a physical defensive slugfest with the visiting Gladiators.
With their primary perimeter threat, Tim Taylor, hampered by foul trouble early in the game Santa Barbara looked inside to Jeremy Vague and Santiago Aguirre who posted 14 and 13 points respectively to pace the Breakers.
“The last three games we got some open threes by establishing the inside game first, so we really tried to make a point to get it in to Jeremy and Zack this game and it worked.” Aguirre said.
The Breakers got off to a slow start, trailing 24-21 after the first quarter, but Leonard Mosley tied the game at 27 with a hard drive to the basket early in the second quarter.
Late in the first half the Breakers began to pull away, as Taylor’s three pointer with 2:30 remaining in the 2nd quarter made the score 48-37, but the Gladiators closed the half on a 10-2 run resulting in a 50-47 halftime score.
“It was hard to get into a rhythm, they played great defense on us,” Taylor said. “But in the end we found a way to win.”
The second half was a see-saw battle as both teams turned up the intensity in search of the victory. Allan Purnell’s pull-up three pointer gave the Breakers a 58-56 lead with just over six minutes remaining in the third quarter.
“The last 24 minutes we had to work hard to score,” said breakers head coach Curt Pickering.
It seemed as though the Breakers would cruise to victory when Taylor banked in a jump shot after drawing contact for a three point play, giving Santa Barbara a 90-83 lead, but the Gladiators stormed back coming within two points on a put back by J.R Reese with 1:32 remaining.
Jeremy Vague was fouled with 8.5 seconds remaining and the Breakers clinging to a 95-94 lead. Vague missed both free throws, giving the Gladiators one final shot at the victory.
After the Gladiators called a timeout, Breakers guard Mark Peters stole the ensuing inbounds pass and threw it forward to Purnell who dunked the ball as time expired, punctuating the victory.
“Well obviously last year going 18-0 and winning a championship there is a target on us,” Taylor said. “Everybody wants to come in and beat the champs, so we have to play hard and make sure that they don’t.”
The Breakers’ next home game is at 7:05 p.m. Saturday May 9 against the Newport Beach Surf.
