The Count's Corner: The Big Road Victory

The Count keeps the numbers, and he spies some interesting facts…..

 

When the BNZ Breakers are "fuelled by 'hurt'," as Head Coach Petteri Koponen put it, look out!

 

The BNZ Breakers' massive 102-60 win in Wollongong against the Illawarra Hawks by a 42-point victory sent The Count scurrying to the record books to find out where the winning margin sits in the club’s all-time records.

 

Having suffered a second-half fade against the Brisbane Bullets in the previous round, with a 1-point loss,  the BNZ Breakers responded by inflicting the heaviest ever defeat on the Illawarra franchise – feel that pain, Hawks.

 

The First 699 Games…

 

Perhaps surprisingly, this was only the third time in the club’s 699 games that a game has been won by over 40 points and the first occasion on an opponent’s home court.

 

Twice before the Breakers have won by 44 points!

 

The first occasion was in December 2008 when the Sydney Spirit were put to the sword at Eventfinda Stadium - back then known as North Shore Event Centre of course. A couple of Breakers and Tall Blacks all-time greats were in fine form in a 114-70 victory. Phil Jones top scored with 24 points and Kirk Penney added 19 points.

 

In February 2021 the Breakers were holed up in Melbourne at the beginning of the 2021 Covid season. They gave the Illawarra Hawks a nasty bout with a 106-62 trouncing, the Webster brothers Corey and Tai scoring 29 points apiece.

 

So the 42-point win against the Hawks last Friday is the third largest victory by the Breakers and the highest true road win, bettering the 98-61 (37-point win) thumping of the Kings in Sydney back in October 2011. That victory was the 100th for three-time championship winning coach Andrej Lemanis.

 

Be Ac-Countable

 

Friday’s win was also notable for some individual brilliance:

 

Rob Baker II scored a season high 19 points. His best in the BNZ Breaker jersey.

 

Karim López dished up a career high 5 assists, whilst landing 14 points to pass 100 points for the season at 10.4ppg.

 

Sam Mennenga posted his third double-double this season – 21 points and 11 rebounds.

 

Parker Jackson-Cartwright leads the NBL in assists per game averaging 7.8 per outing.

 

Joining the Club

 

Forget the Canterbury Club.... the Count notes that some prominent Kiwi Breakers are about to join their own exclusive clubs, if they continue to perform at the Wolfbrook Arena on Thursday.

 

Rob Loe needs 2 points for 1,000 points for that club.

 

Sam Mennenga needs 1 point for 500 points…. Which is as likely as a Nor'wester in the Christchurch spring.

 

 Christchurch – Back in Black (and Red)

 

The forthcoming game in Christchurch, at the Wolfbrook Arena against the Adelaide 36ers will be the 700th NBL game the BNZ Breakers have ever played and the 11th occasion the club have played an NBL game in the Garden City.

 

The BNZ Breakers have a pretty good record in Christchurch having won six of the previous ten games and both fixtures against the 36ers.

 

The most recent win against Adelaide was in November 2023 when both Izayah Le’afa and Parker Jackson-Cartwright went off for 21 points – we’d be happy to see that repeated.

 

That game also marked the debut of a current BNZ Breaker Max Darling. Playing in his hometown, the power forward became Breaker #150 and has since played 30 games for the club.

 

The other excitement was the ejection of former Head Coach Mody Maor in the half-time break after picking up a pair of technical fouls while arguing with the referees about the lopsided foul count. Despite the setback the Breakers went on to win 96-83.

 

So reach into that 'hurt locker' and fuel up, Cantabs - bring that kind of energy to the Arena!

 

This is the sole South Island game in NBL26, and this is your chance to show that 36 is only a number…

 

And The Count will be watching the hoops at Wolfbrook…