KEY POINTS:
The Breakers will discover whether their quiet optimism is well-placed when they kick off their 2008-2009 Australian NBL campaign against the Wollongong Hawks tonight.
Having added star point guard C. J. Bruton to an otherwise stable roster, the Breakers are being picked as strong contenders for a top four playoff spot, and even a dark horse in the race for the title, by pundits on both sides of the Tasman.
Having coached the side to its first regular season winning record (16-14) and first playoff appearance in five seasons last year, coach Andrej Lemanis is confident the club can build on that breakthrough campaign.
"It's one of those unusual times in sport where everyone feels pretty good and pretty confident about their chances," Lemanis said after the team's final pre-season training session.
"I guess we'll find out as we go. Everything changes once the ball gets tipped."
With five home games in succession to begin the season, the Breakers have a great chance to make an early statement of intent in the 30-game regular season.
Last season's 11-4 home record suggests the Breakers are well on the way to making the North Shore Events Centre a fortress. Given the team lost their first two home games of last season, that record is even more impressive. But that also warns about the folly of reading too much into early matches, Lemanis said.
"The Warriors are a great example of the fact that it is a very long season and you can't let what happens at the start of the season affect you either positively or negatively for too long. It is about taking out that roller coaster of emotion."
Last year's opening defeats came with star guard Kirk Penney sidelined with an Achilles injury. This year the squad is fully fit heading into their opening match.
Bruton and Penney will be joined in an impressive-looking starting five by Oscar Forman, Tony Ronaldson and import centre Rick Rickert.
"It is one of the first times going in that I've had everyone available," Lemanis said. "It is a nice place to be."
Brunton has had just two weeks with his new club, so schooling him in the team's plays remains an ongoing task, but Lemanis believes the point guard's addition has added significantly to the side's reservoir of "basketball smarts".
"I feel really comfortable with this group that we can change things up and do some different things on the fly and everyone can get on the same page really quickly."
The other key off-season move by the club was negotiating the return of spark plug centre Rickert. The American, who will serve as the lone import on the roster, will be expected to make another big impact. Last season he was among the league's leading rebounders before a back injury prematurely ended his season.
As well as dominating the boards, Rickert's presence will be crucial to stoking the fires in a team that will be without last season's best impact player, Mika Vukona.
"I've never seen anybody, let alone an import, celebrate teammates' scores as much as Rick does." Lemanis said. "It is hard for his energy not to be contagious. He is really into it and that is something the team needs."
Wollongong have retooled following last season's disappointing 9-21 season, adding import Dusty Rychart, a six-year league veteran, to play alongside fellow American Kavossy Franklin. They will also be boosted by the return from injury of Tall Blacks point guard Lindsay Tait.
NBL OPENING
Breakers v Hawks.
North Shore Events Centre, 7.35 tonight.
