It was one of the worst first-half displays staged at the PG Arena, with Braimoh the only significant statistics for the hosts.
Bench player Morgan Natanahira scored 12 points but US import Zack Atkinson had a quiet day.
Kenny said it was about the little things they discussed last week - stopping the Jets taking points off the paint and rebounding.
"We failed in both those categories. Offensively we struggled but defensively we were worse.
"We weren't prepared mentally, I think, to get up to play because they were coming at us and we had nothing in return," Kenny said.
He was bereft of ideas as to why the Hawks slip when playing the Jets (4-1 down in recent head-to-heads) but agreed their arch-rivals lifted themselves for the occasion.
"I think this is one game they target every year and a couple of times they have taken us by surprise and never looked back."
Kenny felt the Jets had thrown down the gauntlet as early as the first quarter to force the Hawks into playing catch-up basketball.
"The 101 points is the sore point for us because we want to be the best defensive team in the league and we work hard at that," he said, adding that the Hawks fought but "just weren't there".
The Jets' biggest margin was 25 and the lead never changed, although the teams were tied 4-4 early in the first quarter.
Kenny thanked the PG Arena faithful for their support despite three defeats from four games at home.
MATCH STATISTICS
Hawks' figures first:
Field goals: 34/73 (47%); 34/65 (52%).
3 pointers: 6/27 (22%); 7/15 (47%).
Free throws: 16/24 (67%); 26/30 (87%).
Rebounds: 29; 43.
Assists: 12; 17.
Steals: 10, 5.
Blocks: 2; 2.
Turnovers: 14/18.
Fouls (fouls on): 24 (21); 22 (23).
Points in the paint: 44; 40.
2nd chance pts: 15, 15.
Pts off turnovers: 14, 7.
Pts off bench: 34; 39.
Result: IMS Payroll Bank Hawks 90 (Jarrod Kenny 16pts, 6 assists; Paora Winitana 16pts; Suleiman Braimoh 14pts, 7 reb, 5 steals; Morgan Natanahira 12pts) Breakers Manawatu Jets 101 (Brook Ruscoe 21pts, 6 assists; Jeremiah Trueman 20pts, 11 reb; Jordan Ngatai 20pts; Derone Raukawa 15pts, 7 reb; Brandon Jenkins 12pts, 6 assists).
Quarters (Hawks first), 1st: 15-27. 2nd: 35-56 (20-29). 3rd: 57-77 (22-21). Final: 101-90 (33-14).
- Fiba live scoring