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WOLLONGONG - Resurgent New Zealand kept its NBL finals hopes alive and put a huge dent in Wollongong's chances with a 99-80 victory in Wollongong last night.
The Breakers' first win ever in Wollongong was founded on a 27-point halftime lead against a severely disrupted Hawks.
Wollongong was without its injured leading scorer Cortez Groves while starting guard Ben Castle missed the first quarter after his wife Belinda gave birth to twin girls.
Castle arrived at the Wollongong Entertainment Centre wearing hospital clothes and took to the court in the second term.
But the disrupted Hawks couldn't stop a rampant Breakers in the second term and, aided by a 11-2 foul count, the visitors racked up a 35-11 quarter to lead 60-33 at halftime.
Breakers import Carlos Powell led all scorers with 33 points while former Hawk Ben Pepper chipped in with 18 and guard Paul Henare had 11.
Casey Frank tried hard for Wollongong and had 19 points, while point guard Glen Saville had 18 and Tony Rampton 14 off the bench.
New Zealand's second win in four days lifted them to 10 wins, 19 losses, the same record as slumping Wollongong who has lost its past four games.
The Breakers, Hawks, Adelaide and Singapore are all within one win of one another in the battle for eighth spot heading into the final two weeks of t he season.
Breakers coach Andrej Lemis is now focused on the playoffs.
"We definitely think we can make it. We've got the momentum our way and right now are playing tough basketball at the defensive end and our team gave in offence, " Lemis said.
"There's no reason why we can't finish eighth."
Ex-Hawk Ben Pepper celebrated his 350th NBL game with an important win.
"Anytime you beaten the Hawks away it's a good win.
"Over the past five or six years they haven't lost many here so to grab a win means a lot."
Hawks coach Eric Cooks was a dejected figure after the game.
"I'm not sure if it was fatigue but our second term in particular was very disappointing. We didn't work hard enough and need to pick it up in the final four games."
- AAP
