Basketball: Breakers' playoff hopes suffer with thrashing

The New Zealand Breakers suffered their 10th consecutive loss last night and with it their playoff hopes took a dive.

The Wollongong Hawks hammered home an emphatic 132-102 drilling at the North Shore Events Centre.

Scores were even during the first quarter with both teams taking advantage of the exposed ground from the perimeter. Aaron Olson was lethal on two occasions for the Breakers while the tall frame of Adam Ballinger hit hard for the Hawks. The term came up with Hawks ahead 30-26.

The visitors went on a unanswered 11 point spree in the second quarter going out to a 12 point lead forcing Andrej Lemanis to take a time out for the home team. Fighting a field goal shooting percentage of only 43 per cent, Carlos Powell and Olson struck back at the Hawks, however the Wollongong team held the advantage leading 62-51 at the break.

The talented Cortez Groves from the Hawks was marked well by Ben Pepper and reduced to just 10 points, while Glen Saville lead the visitors well taking six defensive rebounds in the first half.

At the start of the third quarter the Breakers showed some spark coming to just one point of the Hawks (67-66) after a steal by Paul Henare which he converted after being fouled. The Hawks led 97-85 at the three quarters.

The Breakers were a broken team in the final quarter.