Basketball: Rich form and depth of squad puts the Breakers on pole for title race

Mika Vukona (L) helped the Breakers blast past the Taipans in the last quarter on Thursday, illustrating his side's depth of talent. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Their roster is enviable; they've made their most promising start to an NBL season; they're favoured with home games over the run in; and their best player is back to his lethal best.

In short, the Breakers are perfectly positioned to go for the NBL title.

Having watched his side hang with the Breakers for three quarters on Thursday night, only to be blown out in the fourth as imports Kevin Braswell and Gary Wilkinson and veteran guard CJ Bruton all sat on the bench, Taipans coach Aaron Fearne concluded the Breakers' roster was the deepest in the league "by a mile".

"They've got talent coming out their arse," Fearne said. "They've got it all over the place."

Much of that talent is home-grown. Mika Vukona, Alex Pledger, Corey Webster and Tom Abercrombie are all graduates of the club's development programme.

"[Assistant coach] Judd Flavell does a great job with the development programme and it pays off," Fearne said. "It's a lot better to have all that talent than be searching at the end of your bench."

Penney's resurrection on Thursday night after a well-documented disrupted start to the season was another major plus for the Breakers.

Penney's numbers were well below his career norms as he struggled through his first four matches. Going into Thursday night he was shooting just 32 per cent from the floor - hardly what you'd expect from a regular scoring champ.

The reason for Penney's slow start was obvious, Tall Blacks teammate and Taipans captain Phill Jones said. A hefty workload at the world champs followed by trips to America and Italy would take it out of anyone.

"You're going to be tired," Jones said. "I think that showed. But [on Thursday night] I think he was getting back to his old self."

He certainly was. Penney exploded for 25 points against the Taipans, including 7/10 three-pointers, and also dished six assists.

With fellow contenders Wollongong close to unbeatable in their home gym, home court advantage in the playoffs will be crucial to the Breakers' title prospects.

Next Friday night's top-of-the-table clash against the Hawks followed by a match against lowly Melbourne 24 hours later loom as crucial contests. Win both and they can make a crucial break on the field going into the new year.

Penney was in no doubt as to how well the club is travelling nearing the mid-point of the season.

"I guess as good as we've ever been - 8-2 to start the year and we're playing well on the road. It's important we keep that going

"Wollongong handed it to us here [in round six] so that's a big one to get up for. And then the depth of our team will hopefully come out the next night. We have a really deep squad and all the guys are stepping up. "

Andrej Lemanis isn't much of a big-picture man, but he laughed off suggestions coaches can often be more nervous when their team is winning than when they lose.

"Mate, I've been 2-8 - this is a lot better," Lemanis said.

Yes, it is.

But Lemanis will also know that, with the talent at his disposal, the bar for what constitutes success has been raised. If the Breakers don't take out the title - or at least go very close - few people will be pointing the finger at the quality of the squad.

PENNEY DROP SHOTS

First four games
* Field goals: 19/52 (32 per cent)
* 3pts: 9/25 (36 per cent)
* Points per game: 15.5

Career
* Field goals: 674/1483 (45.4 per cent)
* 3pts: 281/685 (41 per cent)
* Points per game: 23.5

Thursday night
* Field goals: 9/14 (64 per cent)
* 3pts: 7/10 (70 per cent)
* Points: 25