Scarborough leads the way as MK Breakers set up huge play-off clash with Loughborough

The Breakers produced a strong performance on Sunday to see off Essex Rebels in their final regular league game of the season, a result that saw them claim a fourth place finish in their debut National Basketball League One campaign.

Breakers were made to work for the victory and had to dig deep, with Adrian Scarborough leading the scoring with 27 points, coupled with 11 rebounds.

Nate Robinson netted 18 points, with Chris Tawiah picking up 14 points and a ridiculous 16 boards.

Jordan Spencer also showed his creative flair with 10 points and 16 assists, whilst Kai Walker netted nine points.

The win caps off an impressive campaign for the Breakers in their debut season at this level, and in the end they finished just two points behind second placed Derby Trailblazers.

They now have home advantage in the play-off quarter-finals where they will take on a Loughborough side that finished the season in sixth place, six points adrift of MK.

The teams have already met three times this season, with the Breakers winning on each occasion, but all three victories were by close margins.

Against the Rebels, the Breakers enjoyed a strong first quarter as they led 27-15, with Nate Robinson landing two three-pointers.

They stretched their lead to 16 points early in the second, but Essex hit back strongly, and by the hald-time break had cut that lead to just eight points at 44-36.

The third quarter action ebbed and flowed, with the Rebels at one point cutting the gap between the teams to just three points.

But it was that man Scarborough who kept the visitors at bay with another floater. It was the same man who closed out the quarter as he added another two points putting the Breakers up 61-54 with 10-minutes left to play.

Scarborough then his tally to 20 points in the opening seconds of the final quarter, but the Rebels wouldn’t go away as they again closed to within three.

Scarborough, Robinson, Spencer and Kanwei kept things ticking over for Breakers and ensured they always kept their noses in front, before the latter scored final points of the afternoom to secure a seven-point success.

Tickets for Saturday's play-off date with Loughborough are available now at tickets.lokkaroom.com

If Breakers can see off the Riders at the weekend, they will move into the semi-finals which are scheduled to be played on the weekend of April 19 and 20.

The play-off final is scheduled for Sunday, April 27.