Basketball: History awaiting Breakers

Corey Webster shoots for the Breakers ahead of Cairns Taipan Cameron Gliddon. Photo / Getty Images

If the Breakers win a ninth-straight playoff game today, they can suddenly stake a claim as the second-most successful side in Australian NBL history.

Victory over Cairns this afternoon at the North Shore Events Centre would complete a fourth consecutive post-season sweep and produce a fourth championship in the last five seasons.

Those four titles would see the Kiwi club draw level with Adelaide and Melbourne in second spot on the all-time honour roll, trailing only the Perth Wildcats' six trophies.

Given the form they're enjoying, it would be a brave punter to bet against the Breakers backing up Friday night's taming of the Taipans to record a 2-0 grand final triumph. And, given the playoff experience they're currently compiling, Perth's record doesn't look all that insurmountable.

The Breakers rode their experience to another incredible performance in North Queensland on Friday, blowing away the minor premiers in the opening half before surviving a fierce fightback in the third quarter.

It was, predictably, the Breakers' most battle-hardened veteran who again set the tone, with Mika Vukona making his 31st career playoff performance, extending the club-record of 21 he shares with Tom Abercrombie.

But it was a first-year Breaker who clinched the victory, with Rhys Carter scoring 10 points in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter to bust open what had been a one-point game. Carter came to the club with plenty of his own post-season experience, having played 18 games for three teams, and this year marked his third-straight grand final appearance for a third different side.

The guard's recruitment was part of a strong off-season that laid the platform for a title charge, with import pair Cedric Jackson (22 points, seven rebounds) and Ekene Ibekwe (19 points, eight rebounds) enjoying key contributions against Cairns.

The game also marked Jackson's 13th playoff appearance for the Breakers and, when factoring in homegrown duo Alex Pledger (19) and Corey Webster (14), it's easy to assess just how they have become an unstoppable force this time of year. They have the ability but, equally importantly, have the repetitions to remain composed no matter the situation.

That composure was as evident on Friday night after the final buzzer as it was during the final period. There were no histrionics having put one hand on the trophy, just handshakes and pats on the back following a job well done.

The winners of game one have claimed 21 of the last 23 best-of-three series that featured a travel factor, but the Breakers were focused on recovery rather than revelry.

"If you're the Cairns Taipans, right now your season is obviously on the line, so it's absolutely desperation mode right now," said assistant coach Paul Henare. "They'll throw everything they have at us and we've got to be ready to either match or set an even better tone ourselves.

"The guys know what's at stake and what to expect. It's up to our job now to make sure we do all the right processes from now until 3pm [today] at the North Shore Events Centre."

The last time the Breakers hosted a playoff game at the NSEC, the final scenes featured Henare cutting down the nets after beating the Cairns Taipans. It's a traditional to which the Breakers have quickly become rather accustomed.