Basketball: Nothing beats Breakers' title says Braswell

Coach Andrej Lemanis of the NZ Breakers speaks in Aotea Square following the New Zealand Breakers NBL Grand Final parade up Queen Street and into Aotea Square. Photo / Getty Images

Basketball journeyman Kevin Braswell has won three championships in a career spanning 14 teams, 13 years and 11 countries.

Nothing beat winning the Australian National Basketball League championship with the New Zealand Breakers.

Braswell, 32, and his teammates made the Breakers the first New Zealand-based franchise to win a senior Australian competition when they beat the Cairns Taipans in game three of the ANBL finals series at the North Shore Events Centre last Friday.

They were honoured for their championship win with a parade down Queen St before hundreds of fans today.

Two trucks carried the players with signs saying: "Congrats record Breakers!: Auckland congratulates the NZ Breakers on taking down the Aussies".

Braswell said the number of people packing Queen St showed the nationwide support that made the Breakers championship win the best of his career.

"This is by far the best one and they're not easy to come by.

"The difference was you had a country on your back. That was really different. Not just a city or a state or a school. It's a whole country."

He said the Breakers achievement didn't sink in until after the full-time buzzer of the last finals game.

The elation of that moment has him keen to come back next season for a repeat championship run - if he can negotiate a new deal with Breakers management.

He hopes to fill the starting point guard role vacated by retiring foundation Breaker Paul Henare. "This year was the last sixth man award I'm going to win."

Alex Pledger is also hoping to play an increased role in the Breakers' title defence season.

The 7 foot 1 centre played some of his best basketball in the finals series against Cairns and is looking to convince coach Andrej Lemanis to add to his sometimes sporadic minutes on the floor.

But for now he is happy to dwell on a success he compares to the Tall Blacks' fourth placing in the FIBA 2002 World Championships.

"Hopefully it will do for basketball what the 2002 championships with increasing enthusiasm. That's what made me pick up the ball and starting playing."

He said he "can not wait" to start working on helping the team win another championship next season.

Breakers' guard CJ Bruton backed that sentiment - telling the crowd gathered at Aotea Square the team had every intention of holding another parade next season.

"This trophy belongs here. We intend on doing the same thing again bringing it back."

- HERALD ONLINE