The New Zealand Breakers are one step away from a remarkable rags-to-riches NBL grand final appearance after trouncing the Tasmania JackJumpers 88-68 in game one of the semi-finals.
After bursting out of the blocks in Sunday's clash at Auckland's Spark Arena, the Breakers staved off a stiff second-quarter challenge with a commanding 49-31 second half.
Centre Dererk Pardon (15 points, nine rebounds) piloted an even display for the Breakers, who comprehensively outshot the JackJumpers (53 per cent to 33 per cent).
Imports Rashard Kelly (12 points) and Milton Doyle (10) led the JackJumpers' scoring but neither were close to their efficient best, NZ's famed, in-your-face defence too much for the visitors to handle.
The Breakers jumped ahead 12-2 en route to a 19-12 quarter-time lead before pulling ahead by 16 points midway through the second stanza.
The home side suddenly went ice cold and did not hit a field goal for the last five minutes of the quarter as Tasmania took their turn to apply the screws defensively.
Kelly closed the half with the JackJumpers' last nine points, capping the visitors' 20-6 run which trimmed the Breakers' lead to two points at halftime.
The second half, though, was all the Breakers.
Tasmania's lack of direction on offence was palpable, the absence of import playmaker Josh Magette (broken cheekbone and fractured eye socket) sorely felt.
At the other end, Barry Brown Jr, crowned the NBL's Best Sixth Man on Tuesday, showed no ill effects of his wrist injury, and helped Will McDowell-White re-energise the hosts.
The hosts' 26-17 third term stretched their cushion to 65-54 at three-quarter time and they continued that dominance down the stretch to be brimming with confidence ahead of Thursday's clash in Hobart.
A grand final berth - their first since 2016 - would continue the Breakers' stunning turnaround after they secured the wooden spoon last year, an unimaginably difficult campaign during which they were unable to play any home games in NZ due to border restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
