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Zant: Hoop Team Breaks Out With Thrill of Victory, Agony of Defeat |
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By John Zant
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Monday, April 16 2007 |
 John Zant
And so the Santa Barbara Breakers followed their impressive 135-105 thumping of the Seattle Mountaineers on Friday night with a 118-113 loss to the same team on Saturday night.
 With the IBL's 22-second shot clock, it was run-and-gun basketball. Photo by Edgar Oliveira / SBN
Opening night was a gala affair. The Breakers brought out their own version of Jack Nicholson -- local celebrity Rob Lowe, who had a courtside seat near the team bench.
Mayor Marty Blum was four rows up on the opposite side.
The players towered over Lowe as he threw the ball up for a ceremonial tipoff. The real tipoff followed at 7:45 p.m. That was 40 minutes later than scheduled. Hundreds of late-arriving fans were lined up at the ticket window at game time, and Breakers management made the decision to hold up the action until they could be seated. The announced attendance was 1,686 in the gym that seats 1,900.
It was a remarkable turnout for a minor-league basketball game. Public-address announcer Joe Rosenson said the crowds are not nearly that large at the games he works for the Bakersfield Jam of the NBDL, the NBA-sponsored developmental league. There was a dropoff Saturday night, but there were still about 1,000 fans at SBCC. The big question is how consistent the crowds will be at Santa Barbara's 10 remaining home games. Rob Lowe chats with Santa Barbara News-Press Co-Publisher Arthur von Wiesenberger. Photo by Edgar Oliveira / SBN
The Breakers had some star power on their team, including NBA veteran Samaki Walker and former UCLA standouts Toby Bailey and Billy Knight. But the local connection was thin. Four players signed early by general manager/coach Curt Pickering -- UCSB's Adama Ndaiye and Cecil Brown, Westmont's Santiago Aguirre and former Dos Pueblos star Shantay Legans -- are on the inactive roster for various reasons. UCSB's Casey Cook saw limited action in the opener.
ESPN commentator Steve Lavin was on hand to see Bailey and Knight, whom he had coached at UCLA. They combined for 60 points in the opener -- Bailey scoring 34 and Knight 26. The Breakers sank an astounding 72 percent of their shots from the floor. Guards Justin Johnson and Ryan Davis went a combined 10-for-11.
With the IBL's 22-second shot clock, it was run-and-gun basketball all the way. The
few times some fans tried to chant, "Dee-fense, dee-fense," they had only a few seconds to get the words out before the next shot.
The best IBL rule is the limit of one timeout per quarter for each team, unless you came to watch the Breaker Girls perform. They made their debut in John Stockton-style shorts and Breaker jerseys.
Basketball purists may quibble with the playground style, but my 7-year-old grandson loved it and eagerly sought autographs after the game. The Breakers formed a circle on the floor to greet the kids.
Saturday night's game was more exciting from a competitive standpoint. The Mountaineers, who had arrived just an hour before Friday's game after flying to Los Angeles and car-pooling to Santa Barbara, had a lot more energy. Most tellingly, they got in the Breakers' faces defensively after sitting in a zone the night before.
There were four lead changes down the stretch. Walker put Santa Barbara ahead 109-108 by hitting a baseline jumper. He finished with 24 points. After Seattle forged ahead by five, Bailey's 3-pointer made the score 115-113, and the Breakers got another chance after Walker's defensive rebound with 13 seconds remaining. But Seattle's Lemar Gayle stole the ball, and his free throws clinched the visitors' win.
 The Breakers have landed 12 home gam es in their first season. Photo by Edgar Oliveira / SBN
Gayle said he likes to travel, and he's on the right team. The Mountaineers are playing 17 of their 20 games on the road. They played Sunday afternoon at Phoenix, where Gayle scored 40 points, but Seattle lost to the Flame 122-120.
The Breakers, meanwhile, have landed 12 home games in their first season. The next one is Friday at 7:05 p.m. against the Tri-Valley Titans from Livermore.
NET GAINS: Basketball may be a trendier sport, but volleyball is Santa Barbara's signature pastime. It was a big weekend for local spikers. Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser made a statement at the opening of the 2007 AVP beach tour, as they swept to the title at Miami. The local pair beat Jake Gibb-Sean Rosenthal 21-14, 21-18 in the final. In the semis, they polished off top-seeded Mike Lambert-Stein Metzger 21-14, 21-19. Karch Kiraly made it to the finals of the contenders' bracket with his new partner Kevin Wong. They were ousted by Gibb and Rosenthal. The women's winniers, Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, stunned Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh in the semifinals.It was only the second time in 46 AVP tournaments May-Treanor and Walsh failed to reach the final.
On the indoor courts, UCSB's men closed the regular season Saturday night at Pepperdine, where the No. 1-ranked Waves beat the Gauchos in four games. UCSB's Even Patak, who leads the nation in kills, pounded 30 more. Next up for the Gauchos is a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation quarterfinal match Saturday night (7 p.m.) against defending national champion UCLA at Robertson Gym. The MPSF tournament is a steppingstone to the NCAA Final Four. |
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