As it stood on Sunday night, the Breakers took the win and the league ladder was adjusted accordingly. However, the league will review the result over the next 24 hours before determining whether the result will stand or the game will have to be replayed or completed at a later date. The Herald understands due to the limited time left in the season the most likely outcome of the review will see the result stand.
Coming into the game with a 5-20 record, there was little for the Hawks to play for. The Breakers, however, remain well in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs, but every result for the rest of their campaign will have a significant impact on their chances.
The Breakers went into the match with a 12-13 record, two games behind the fourth-placed Brisbane Bullets, who they meet next Friday in Brisbane.
Plenty rides on that match for both sides, as although Brisbane has the advantage over the Breakers, they also have a harder run home with Perth and Cairns in their final two games.
The Breakers were not helped in any way by Melbourne United earlier in the round, as the Melbourne side blew a decent lead against the Bullets which allowed the Brisbane side to keep a slim lead on the Breakers in the standings.
Should they manage to make it to the playoffs; the Breakers will be a tough match-up. They showed why against the Hawks, with contributions across the floor in a contest they dominated from start to finish.
Import guard Sek Henry and Kiwi forward Finn Delany continued to have the hot hands for the Breakers as they led the way on the scoreboard with 17 and 16 points respectively, with American swingman Scotty Hopson taking on the play-making duties to dish out nine assists to go with 12 points of his own.
The Breakers were playing short-handed against the Hawks, with Jarrad Weeks held out due to a shoulder injury, meaning Ethan Rusbatch saw some time on the court after not featuring in the side's past two matches.
For the most part, the Breakers were too good for the Hawks. Opening the game on an 18-9 run, the Breakers set the tone for the night with a highly effective offensive system running through Hopson.
Making their first five shots from beyond the arc helped the Breakers to a 30-14 lead after the first quarter. The game played out in much the same way in the second stanza, with the visitors taking a 16-point lead at the halftime break.
Things got weird in the third quarter, as a leak in the roof delayed the game toward the end of the period.
The Breakers were slow out of the blocks after halftime and allowed Illawarra to claw a few points back. It wasn't enough to really threaten the visitors who pushed through the lull to maintain a 13-point lead at the rain delay.
That was where the match ended for the day, with the Breakers' playoff hopes now left in the hands of the league.
NZ Breakers 65 (Sek Henry 17, Finn Delany 16, Scotty Hopson 12, Rob Loe 10)
Illawarra Hawks 52 (Josh Boone 14, Todd Blanchfield 11)
1Q: 30-14. HT: 50-34
