NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Basketball / NZ Breakers

Breakers on hard road to save season

Kris Shannon
By Kris Shannon
Multimedia Journalist·NZ Herald·
28 Jan, 2016 06:41 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Corey Webster says he urgently needs to recapture his scoring touch.

Corey Webster says he urgently needs to recapture his scoring touch.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Breakers have five games to save their season and ensure the tenures of coach Dean Vickerman and general manager Richard Clarke end where they belong: in the Australian NBL playoffs.

The defending champions must win all five to keep alive their slim post-season hopes and that tough task will begin against Townsville tonight. Kris Shannon assesses their chances of sweeping the rest of the regular season.

1 - Tonight: Breakers v Crocs at Vector Arena

The game that will either end a six-game losing streak or end the Breakers' campaign. Judging by the 23-point thumping the Kiwi club received in Townsville last Thursday, it will be the latter. But the Breakers are optimistic they now possess two crucial factors missing in that encounter across the Tasman -- health and a healthy mindset. Cedric Jackson was one player struggling for fitness last week and the influential point guard practised fully for the first time yesterday, describing himself as sore but ready to play to the best of his abilities. And the Breakers believe the abundant abilities they boast throughout the squad will be better harnessed, with Vickerman adamant his side will thrive in a finals-like atmosphere.

2 - February 3: 36ers v Breakers at Adelaide Arena

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

If the Breakers can stop their slump against Townsville, their visit to Adelaide may be the game to spark a miraculous revival. The 36ers' six-game winning streak has seen them soar above the reigning champions but that run will be tested by this week's double-header against Illawarra. Even if they drop both games, though, Adelaide will retain an edge over the Breakers. And that edge is magnified by what has transpired between the teams previously this season. With the 36ers having handily beaten the Breakers twice, Vickerman's men will need to win by more than 15 points at Adelaide Arena to claim the season series, an eventuality that will prove vital if the teams finish the regular season locked in fourth place.

3 - February 7: Breakers v Taipans at North Shore Events Centre

The second step of a revenge mission after last week's shocking Sunshine Swing. While the Breakers' humbling in Townsville was bad, their collapse in Cairns was even worse, admitting their confidence has been sapped after a winless 2016. Presuming the Breakers beat the Crocs and the 36ers to infuse the Cairns clash with some significance, that confidence will be boosted. And with Alex Pledger's injection into the starting five providing a much-needed fast start, the Breakers have the blueprint to find their way in front. Staying there was certainly an issue on Saturday night, with the team's 13-30 mark from the free throw line condemning them to defeat and proving the Breakers' problems are more mental than physical.

4 - February 12: Breakers v Melbourne United at North Shore Events Centre

Three wins and the Breakers' playoff hopes will hang on a season-ending double-header against the league leaders. If they are to topple one of the title favourites, the Breakers will require Corey Webster to find the form he showed last time they met Melbourne, when he poured in a career-high 39 points to lead his side to a big win. And Webster knows, after a few quiet weeks, he must rediscover his scoring touch to close the season. "I need to find a way to get back to how I was playing," Webster said this week. "I'm just performing below average, personally. We haven't been winning but we've had patches where we've played well as a team. Just personally, I think I need to step it up."

5 - February 14: Melbourne United v Breakers at Hisense Arena

Even if the Breakers complete the first four steps of their titanic task, this game could still be Vickerman's final in charge. But with his side left relying on other results to sneak in the back door of the playoffs, the coach insisted his tenure could end on a bright note even without a place in the post-season. "If I come out of the season and say, 'yep, I achieved the vision I wanted at the start of the year' - maybe that won't be the wins we wanted but as long as we played the way we wanted to play - I'll walk away from this pretty happy," he said.

Discover more

NZ Breakers

Basketball: Breakers slump hits new low

21 Jan 10:33 AM
NZ Breakers

Basketball: Breakers suffer sixth straight loss

23 Jan 10:52 AM
Basketball

Kiwis on the Road Tuesday January 26

25 Jan 10:58 PM
NZ Breakers

Basketball: Wesley denies rifts at Breakers

26 Jan 02:59 AM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from NZ Breakers

Breakers

NZ Breakers sold to new ownership group

20 Mar 01:28 AM
Breakers

Breakers great dies aged 46

24 Feb 06:00 PM
Breakers

Injury rules Breakers star out for rest of NBL season

31 Jan 10:56 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from NZ Breakers

NZ Breakers sold to new ownership group

NZ Breakers sold to new ownership group

20 Mar 01:28 AM

The American ownership group has moved the team on after seven seasons.

Breakers great dies aged 46

Breakers great dies aged 46

24 Feb 06:00 PM
Injury rules Breakers star out for rest of NBL season

Injury rules Breakers star out for rest of NBL season

31 Jan 10:56 PM
'I hear the fans': Breakers owner on local talent and trying to get Kiwi core

'I hear the fans': Breakers owner on local talent and trying to get Kiwi core

26 Jan 04:00 AM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP