Basketball: Breakers break losing streak with win against Wollongong

From an unlikely start the Breakers somehow managed to win against the Wollongong Hawks and end their 11-game losing streak with a 109-98 victory in Waitakere last night.

The last time the Breakers had won a game at home or away was against the Hawks at the same venue, the Trusts Stadium, on October 9.

It moves the Breakers off the bottom of the table and ahead of the West Sydney Razorbacks, who are currently on an 11-game losing streak themselves and boast a 4-19 win-loss record.

The first quarter was an absolute shocker for the Breakers.

Even their most loyal and vocal fans were throwing their hands up in the air - not as a result of a refereeing decision but at the home team's bad play and lack of cohesion.

They trailed 23-11 - then the game changed dramatically.

They scored 31 points to 19 to have the scores all locked up at 42-42 at halftime and the third quarter, usually the problem for the Breakers, became the solution as they scored 37 points compared with the Hawks' 29.

The final quarter was also high scoring in favour of the Breakers, 30-27, thanks mainly to import Brian Green, who could face the axe this week.

Green led the charge with 27, followed by fellow American Rich Melzer on 23.

But with three imports including the still-injured Brant Bailey, someone has to go.

"I have to sit down this week with my coaches and look at it. It's going to be a tough decision," said Breakers coach Andrej Lemanis.

If the Trusts Stadium crowd had their way Green would be staying and he feels the same.

"I was saying to myself after the first quarter, 'Just make a shot'. But it ain't how you start, it's how you finish. Tonight we focused on finishing. Our team is not the last-placed side in this league," warned Green.

Glen Saville was the top scorer for the Hawks with 30 but their teamwork was missing and star Cortez Groves was marked out of the game, finishing with 19 after a late flourish.

And although the Breakers were ecstatic with their fourth win of the season, Hawks coach Brendan Joyce was far from happy with the physical nature of the game or the result, singling out the Breakers' Mika Vukona for particular criticism.

Joyce received a technical foul late in the third quarter for walking on the court during a push and shove match between the players and is keen to take the matter further.

"It's difficult to handle ... to have someone [Vukona] throwing your players to the floor. I was trying to break the players up and got a technical for going on the court.

"Whether or not he [Vukona] should have been thrown out of the game is ... well, I'll be taking things up with NBL officials," said Joyce.

Vukona was certainly a thorn in the side of the Hawks and played his usual physical game, although as he should have learned last week against experienced giant Mark Bradkte a little subtlety can go a long way.

The Breakers now have a home tie against the Taipans on Friday. Hawks are away to the Tigers, also on Friday.