Daryl Corletto of the Breakers lays the ball up. Photo / Getty Images
Breakers' guard Daryl Corletto insists he wasn't trying to prove a point to his former employers last night but the message would have still been received loud and clear in Melbourne.
Just days after the Tigers parted company with China-bound Patty Mills, the man who had to make way for Mills in Melbourne played a starring role in the Breakers' dramatic 88-74 comeback win over Townsville at Vector Arena.
Down by 15 shortly after halftime, Corletto started and finished a 12-0 Breakers' run with two huge three-pointers to bring the home side back to within a shot.
"That's the part where I thought the crowd really got into it," Corletto said. "We fed off that momentum going into the fourth quarter and carried it over late into the game."
The Breakers went on to complete an improbable comeback, winning by 14 after trailing at one point by 23, helped in large by Corletto's 16 points starting in place of the ailing CJ Bruton.
Corletto denied having extra motivation against the Crocs, despite his link with the league's most prominent player in Mills. Corletto had been in the Tigers' organisation since the age of 12, but was forced to look for a new home after Mills arrived when the bright lights of the NBA were dimmed by a labour dispute.
"It's disappointing how it finished up but that was their decision," he said. "I look at Melbourne now as just another team. It's all in the past now and I'm a Breaker and enjoying it."
That enjoyment has been increasing at the same time as his prominence on the playing court.
With Bruton's knees seemingly wearing down every game the Australian has played during his 35 years, Corletto has stepped up to fill the gap.
"I'm loving it, it's good fun. It's disappointing for CJ - we definitely need him back heading into the finals, hopefully, after Christmas - but it gives myself more opportunity. It gives a lot of guys more of a chance and that's the beauty of this team, we can play 12 players on any night."
It's a good thing the Breakers have such a deep squad because the prognosis on Bruton is not good. He didn't train all week in a bid to rest his tendonitis-riddled knees and played just six minutes last night. He also didn't take a shot, coming off the back of his oh-for-nine effort against Cairns last time out.
Assistant coach Dean Vickerman said Bruton was in a lot of pain. "We just wanted to see what he could do because we didn't even know," he said. "The second time we put him out there ... to see him hobble to a free throw, we just had to get him out. He can't help us right now."
It's a good thing Corletto can. The 30-year-old has shown his dead-eye shooting over the last two games, scoring at more than 50 per cent from the field, including seven of 15 from range. He's also an asset running the point when Cedric Jackson needs a rest, something Corletto has done throughout his career.
That combination has created contentment from both the player and the team following Corletto's signing. He said, despite being inundated with pleas from Tigers' fans to return home following Mills jumping ship, his future lies on this side of the Tasman.
"I've enjoyed the first seven or eight games here more than I've enjoyed any of my basketball in the last 10 years. If I had my way, I'd stay here for a few more years."
- APNZ
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