Auckland to honour winning Breakers with parade Friday

Breakers player Kirk Penny clashes with Cairns Taipans player Aaron Grabau. Photo / Richard Robinson

The NZ Breakers will parade up Auckland's Queen St at midday Friday to celebrate their Australasian win.

The North Shore-based Breakers beat the Cairns Taipans 71-53 in the deciding match of the three-game Australian NBL finals series last Friday to become the first New Zealand team to win a division-one title in an Australian sports league.

From midday, the basketball heroes will travel in a convoy of open-top trucks from Britomart up Queen Street St to Aotea Square.

Mayor Len Brown will greet the players when they arrive at Aotea Square, where the festivities will continue.

Fans can meet their favourite players, get autographs, shoot some hoops and can win some of the giveaways on offer.

The Auckland Council says the parade will be a show of support for the first New Zealand team in any sports code to win a title in a professional Australian sports league.

Retiring Breakers guard Paul Henare won't make the celebrations because he is due in Hawke's Bay on Friday morning to begin his new role as a player/coach of NBL team the Hawks.