Basketball: Emphatic win keeps Breakers' hopes alive

David Gruber of the Hawks attempts to get past Dillon Boucher of the Breakers during the round 19 NBL match between the New Zealand Breakers and the Wollongong Hawks. Photo / Getty Images

The New Zealand Breakers kept alive their hopes of making the Australian National Basketball League (ANBL) playoffs with an emphatic 88-60 win over the Wollongong Hawks in Auckland tonight.

Having thrown away good leads in losing their three previous matches against the Hawks this season, the Breakers not only held their nerve, but pulled away over the second half.

They led from start to finish to complete the biggest margin of victory of their season so far.

Star guard Kirk Penney led the scoring with 23 points to take his tally over his past four outings to 108, while CJ Burton chimed in with 19 points.

Tony Ronaldson, who this week announced his impending retirement after 20 years in the ANBL, contributed 10 points, while Dillon Boucher collected 12 rebounds, twice as many as the next best.

The victory was the Breakers' fourth in succession, a sequence that has resuscitated a campaign that three weeks ago appeared headed for a premature end.

With two games left in their regular season, they remain fifth on the table with a win-loss ledger of 13-13.

But they have closed the gap on the Hawks, who at present occupy the fourth and final playoff spot with a 13-12 record.

Wollongong, who were without star import Tywain McKee, who had starred in the last games between the sides here at the North Shore Events Centre but has a season-ending back problem, were a disappointment.

Their 60 points was their second lowest tally of the season and the defeat was their 11th in 13 trips away from home.

Tim Coenraad and Cameron Tragardh, with 12 points each, led their statistics.

The Breakers showed plenty of aggression from the outset and hit the court running, especially Bruton, whose first three three-point attempts all found their target to push the home side to an early 11-3 lead.

At quarter-time the margin was 19-13 but, as Bruton spent a spell on the bench, the Hawks closed to two points.

After a slow start, Penney began making his presence felt as the home side edged out to a 42-34 advantage at halftime.

The Breakers, who had injured centre Rick Rickerts suited up but didn't use him, made a big move in the third quarter, leading 63-47 at the next break, before cruising home over final 10 minutes.

They are at home to Gold Coast Blaze next Thursday, before completing their regular season schedule away to Cairns two days later.

- NZPA