The Breakers Academy showed they can hang with a top 20 USA College team, losing 80-55 to the Washington State University Cougars in front of a Henderson crowd last Tuesday night at Trusts Stadium.

The young Academy players, ages 15 to 20, were bolstered by Harvey Norman NZ Breakers Mika Vukona and Ryan Kersten, as well as Development Squad newcomer Chris Daniel and former NZ Breaker and current development manager Blake Truslove.

The exhibition game was the first stop for Washington State in their New Zealand/Australia tour, which includes a clash with the Boomers in Canberra on Thursday night.

It was the first chance for Breakers fans to see new-signee Kersten in action with team mate Vukona, who scored seven points with eight rebounds. Truslove proved he still has game with 12 points and nine rebounds in only 20 minutes.

Academy stand-out Cory Webster posted an impressive 15 points, while David Clark made his mark with nine points.

Academy head coach Judd Flavell is pleased with his players' results, pointing out that members Rob Loe and Rory Fannon also did well against older and bigger opponents.

"Washington State is obviously a step-up compared to teams here," he said, "and the Academy boys handled the big occasion really well."

Washington State backed up their top 20 NCAA ranking, beginning with star Derrick Low scoring 20 points, while starter Robbie Cowgill tacked on 11 points and 12 rebounds. Former Junior Tall Black and Westlake Boys alum, Thomas Abercrombie, enjoyed his homecoming with seven points.

Not only did the West Auckland crowd witness elite basketball play, but they also were treated to an example of high-level coaching with the Cougars' head coach and former North Harbour Kings player Tony Bennett. Bennett has just received the 2007 Naismith Award as College Coach of the Year in America, while the Associated Press also named him 2006-2007 Coach of the Year.

Flavell was a Kings team mate of Bennett's for one year and remembers him as an outstanding player.

"I have been friends with Tony for many years, and he has done a good job at Washington State, " he said. "It was a privilege to be on the same court coaching with him."

The match was presented for free admission in partnership with Trusts Stadium and Basketball Waitakere City, with junior basketball in Waitakere benefiting from a gold coin donation.

The Washington State clash was the fifth outing for the Academy team and Flavell hopes that his players will see action from many more outstanding opponents.

"This was a successful night for us and Washington State," he said. "Hopefully now we will have more opportunities to host top-ranked colleges on international tours."