Dillon Boucher. Photo / Greg Bowker
Tall Black friendships will be put temporarily on hold when the New Zealand Breakers try to get back to winning ways in the Australian National Basketball League tonight.
The Breakers face defending champions Brisbane in Auckland, with both rosters featuring New Zealand internationals.
There are five in the
home line-up and the Bullets have Dillon Boucher and Craig Bradshaw.
One of the Breakers' Tall Black contingent, Phill Jones, expected an intense contest in keeping with Brisbane's style of play.
"It's high-pressure, aggressive and in-your-face - a lot like Dillon's personal game," he said.
"They're the current titleholders and they like to create a bit of havoc on court, so we need to be firing, too."
The Breakers' other Tall Blacks are Paul Henare, Kirk Penney, Paora Winitana and Mika Vukona.
Winitana pointed to Brisbane coach Joey Wright's ability to rotate his roster as one of the Bullets' strengths.
"The Bullets have plenty of guns on the bench so there's no respite at any stage," he said.
"They go the full 48 minutes at top speed. Having said that, our team is pretty deep too and we want to be just as relentless. No let-ups."
The Breakers are looking to turn around a two-match losing streak that has left them precariously placed in the top eight.
Winitana said the starters would have to get off to a flyer against Brisbane, who sit third on the table. It was then up to the bench to build on the momentum.
The Breakers have beaten the Bullets only twice in 13 encounters, but did win last season's home fixture 111-106.
Coach Andrej Lemanis said being aggressive against opposition pressure was the key to a repeat victory.
"They like to double team and force you to play at a pace you're not comfortable playing and they'll run all night," he said.
"We have to make quality decisions, taking the shots when they present themselves, but knowing when to slow it down and play at a tempo that suits us more than them."
Of particular interest will be Bradshaw's first visit back to New Zealand since turning down a more lucrative offer from the Breakers and opting for Brisbane.
General manager Richard Clarke expected home supporters to give Bradshaw a hostile reception. "I know a lot of our fans felt like it was a slap in the face then and time hasn't healed the wound too much."
- NZPA
