Breakers set to fine tune in Tauranga

The SKYCITY Breakers are aiming up at the Brisbane Bullets in their final hit-out of the pre-season when the two teams clash in Tauranga on Wednesday night, but while the opposition are important, it is again performance being rated ahead of the result, with the season just under two weeks away.

The game at ASB Arena (tip off 7pm) caps off a busy pre-season for the four-time ANBL Champions. The Breakers have posted 3 wins from 5 games so far, with the victories coming over Cairns, Adelaide and Melbourne.

One constant in these games has been the hardline approach of all teams, with a level of intensity resembling the post-season at times, as teams look to put the finishing touches on preparation while also gaining a psychological advantage over their opponents.

Assistant Coach Mike Fitchett says while he expects another great contest for the fans on Wednesday night, the result is not the main focus.

"We have some obvious things to work on in the game Wednesday night. The preseason has been a mixed bag so far, with some good performances and some that havent been up to scratch, most notably our recent defeat by Melbourne. We didnt play with the energy required that night and that was a good reminder to everyone that you cannot let your guard down at any moment in this league.

"Overall though, we are happy with progress we are making every day. We are constantly working on the on-court chemistry between players at this time of the year and Wednesday night will see that aspect of our game improve again I am sure".

Fitchett says there will be some scouting of the Andrej Lemanis coached Bullets.

"We are also looking to get a good feel for Brisbane and what they will look like this season, they have a few new faces to the league so it will be great to see them to better understand their game.

"Offensively it is always great if we have a few guys putting the ball in the bucket, that is another goal on Wednesday to lift the confidence of everyone as we get close to October 8 and the season opener."

Fitchett says the coaching staff have not hit on a starting five at this point, and in fact wont ever have that set in stone when the regular season rolls around.

"Starting spots are always up for grabs, it is unlikely we will go through the entire season with the same starters, that might be for health reasons, form reasons or just horses for courses. That is one of the great things about this group, the competition is intense, everyone wants to contribute and will in different ways."

The team will be at Bayfair Mall at Mount Maunganui in a public appearance on Tuesday (tomorrow) between 3pm and 4pm. Fans are invited to meet the players, get autographs and images with the team. Media are also welcome to attend for player interviews.

SKYCITY Breakers v Brisbane Bullets

Wednesday 27 September

ASB Arena

Baypark

7pm tip off

- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Basketball New Zealand