KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand Breakers have returned home with a rare and precious road victory, hopeful a 10-match losing streak has not done irreparable damage to their Australian National Basketball League play-off prospects.
A crushing 99-80 victory over the Hawks at Wollongong on Saturday means the Breakers are still an outside chance to snare the eighth and final post-season berth, though they must extend their two-match winning streak, starting at the North Shore Events Centre against Melbourne's Dragons on Thursday.
Head coach Andrej Lemanis was confident the Breakers would make the cut if they won their last two home games - the other is against West Sydney - and pinch an away at play-off certainties Perth or competition leaders the Brisbane Bullets.
The Breakers (10-19) are in a four-way logjam for the final spot with the Singapore Slingers, Wollongong Hawks and Adelaide 36ers.
The Slingers (10-18) appear to be on the slide after dropping their fourth straight match against Melbourne Tigers on Saturday while the Hawks and 36ers are on four- and five-match losing streaks respectively.
The 36ers and Slingers meet in Singapore on Wednesday while the Hawks host the competition's Asian component next Saturday.
Lemanis admitted it was too early to predict who would end up with the final berth, adding he was just relieved his side were still in the mix.
The Breakers' play-off dream was invigorated by a tense 103-100 win over the Slingers last Wednesday and then a compelling performance at the WIN Entertainment complex.
Just their second road win of the season was cemented by an explosive second quarter, which saw the Breakers outscore the Hawks 35-11.
Tough defence ensured the Hawks converted just 11 field goals, while committing nine turnovers in the first half.
The league's leading scorer, Carlos Powell, once again piled on the points, finishing with a game-high 33 with 11 rebounds and five assists.
Former Hawk Ben Pepper had 18 points and Pierre Wooten, Paul Henare and Aaron Olson each added 11 as the Breakers snapped a six-game losing streak on the road.
"The intensity was as good as I've seen it all season," Lemanis said. "We kept them to 33 points in the first half, we dominated the boards and the game was pretty much over by halftime."
The Breakers led 60-33 at halftime and although the Hawks won the last two quarters the visitors were never in danger of surrendering their buffer.
Lemanis was delighted to prevail over two of the Breakers' closest rivals. "They're all must-win games for us - particularly the last two we've had against teams also playing for the last play-off spot."
- NZPA
