Kirk Penney plays his first game against his old club in Friday night NBL when the in-form New Zealand Breakers host the inconsistent Illawarra Hawks at the North Shore Events Centre. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 5:30pm (AEDT).
Sharp-shooting guard Penney, who started out at the Breakers and then moved to the Hawks has gone back to where it all started this year, and it sets this up as a massive contest.
If not for the Penney reasons, then for the fact that the sides played a double overtime game last season in New Zealand last year, and the serious ladder implications involved with a double header between the sides this weekend do.
Coming into the game, the sides are separated by just a single game with the Breakers flying in recent times to get themselves into third with five wins and four losses, while the Hawks have fumbled and bumbled their way through the last few weeks so sit five with four and five.
This is shaping as one of the more aggressive games for the season, with both teams knowing how to put up plenty of points in a hurry.
The highest score this season, or at any point during the 40-minute era, belongs to the Illawarra Hawks after they ran up 122 on the Adelaide 36ers in the first round of competition, while the Breakers aren’t far behind, kickstarting their season in Round 4 by putting 119 on the 36ers.
After a tough start to the season, the Breakers offence has really started to flow in recent weeks and it all came to relevance last week as their defence got involved and they won in overtime on the road against Perth.
Even with star guard Ben Woodside out injured, their offence was still solid and the Breakers are once again in the championship picture.
The Hawks are less-so in that picture, with some abysmal play at times this season. Their imports, led by 2014 MVP Rotnei Clarke haven’t been producing to anywhere near the neccessary levels, and they don’t have a stack of other talent on court.
Oscar Forman has struggled at times and AJ Ogilvy hasn’t had the same impact in the paint that he had last year, when he and Kevin Lisch carried the Hawks into the finals.
Whether they can turn it around on the road in New Zealand is a difficult question to answer but they did get up over the Adelaide 36ers last weekend in less than convincing circumstances, so if their defence stands up they are certainly a chance.
Prediction
The Breakers should be far too strong at home. Expect a high scoring game, Penney to light it up and the Breakers to run away down the stretch.
Breakers by 15.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of Kirk Penney’s first match against his old club from 5:30pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add your own comments in the section below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me this evening on The Roar for our live coverage of the 2016-17 season as the New Zealand Breakers recorded a commanding 15 point victory over the Illawarra Hawks. Hopefully you enjoyed the coverage. Unfortunately we only have live scores of tonight's other game between Melbourne United and the Cairns Taipans, which you can follow here - http://www.theroar.com.au/2016/11/18/melbourne-united-vs-cairns-taipans-nbl-live-scores-2/ Connor Bennett will be on for tomorrow's early game between the Adelaide 36ers and Brisbane Bullets from 5:30pm (AEDT), and I should be around for the later one between the Kings and Wildcats. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the game Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULLTIME The New Zealand Breakers have survived a second half scare to record a big victory over the defensively shocking Illawarra Hawks at the North Shore Events Cente in Round 7 of the NBL. At one point it looked like the Breakers were going to be on track to hit another scoring record, but they didn't get there with the Hawks defence stepping it up in the second half. The first half was absolutely abysmal for Illawarra, and realistically the game was over at halftime. Their defence virtually couldn't get a stop as Corey Webster, Thomas Abercrombie and Kirk Penney shot the lights out for the Breakers, sending them on a 14-2 run to start the game, and 33-16 by the end of the first quarter. The Hawks fought back during the second half, with Rotnei Clarke leading the charge, but it was never going to be enough. They cut the lead to single figures at one point, but it blew back out at the end with Isaih Tueta providing plenty off the bench for the Breakers. The teams now head back to the WIN Entertainment Centre for the return leg of this double header on Sunday. Quarter-by-Quarter Scoring Breakdown 1st Quarter Breakers 33 - Hawks 16 2nd Quarter Breakers 24 - Hawks 22 3rd Quarter Breakers 23 - Hawks 31 4th Quarter Breakers 20 - Hawks 16 Match Statistics Field Goals: Breakers (40/72 @ 55%), Hawks (31/62 @ 50%) Three Pointers: Breakers (10/22 @ 45%), Hawks (8/21 @ 38%) Free Throws: Breakers (10/12 @ 83%), Hawks (15/18 @ 83%) Rebounds: Breakers (36), Hawks (26) Assists: Breakers (22), Hawks (10) Steals: Breakers (6), Hawks (10) Blocks: Breakers (1), Hawks (3) Turnovers: Breakers (16), Hawks (16) Points in paint: Breakers (52), Hawks (42) Second chance points: Breakers (24), Hawks (10) Points off turnovers: Breakers (16), Hawks 10) Bench points: Breakers (38), Hawks (21) Stats Leaders New Zealand Breakers Points: David Stockton (17), Kirk Penney, Thomas Abercrombie (16) Rebounds: Mika Vukona, Alex Pledger (8), Akil Mitchell (7) Assists: Mika Vukona (8), David Stockton (5), Corey Webster (4) Illawarra Hawks Points: Rotnei Clarke (17), AJ Ogilvy, Marvelle Harris (16) Rebounds: AJ Ogilvy (6), Nick Kay (5), Mitch Norton (3) Assists: Kevin White, Rhys Martin, Rotnei Clarke (2) FINAL SCORE New Zealand Breakers 100 Illawarra Hawks 85
Scott Pryde
Expert
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULLTIME The fans are on their feet as the Breakers wind the clock down and this one is over. The Breakers do tur it over though before Harris throws it ahead for Clarke and it goes over the baseline. The Breakers are going to put up one last shot and Tueta misses from the car park. That'll do us here in Auckland. Massive 15 point win by the Breakers. Plenty of offence there! Can't wait for Sunday! New Zealand Breakers - 100 Illawarra Hawks - 85
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Ogilvy with a lay up through sloppy defence before the Breakers turn it over. Harris back into the paint and he is called for a travel. 23 seconds to go. Breakers - 100 Hawks - 85
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Ngatai makes both and the Breakers hit the century. Breakers - 100 Hawks - 83
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' The Breakers now through Tueta and then Ngatai off a long pass and he draws the foul. Breakers - 98 Hawks - 83
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Ogilvy with the extra. Breakers - 98 Hawks - 83
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 0' Stockton now makes another bucket for the Breakers before he tips a pass over the sideline. From the inbound it's Martin to Ogilvy and he lays it in, drawing the foul. Breakers - 98 Hawks - 82
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 1' Into garbage time now. It's an 18 point game inside 2 minutes to go. Hawks draw a foul here and from the inbound Harris puts it up, misses and Ogilvy slams it back in Breakers - 96 Hawks - 80
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' The Breakers now through Harris and he loses it before Stockton runs the floor and makes a floater. Breakers - 96 Hawks - 78
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' The Hawks now struggling to get it in and Martin throws it into Tueta, The next inbound sees the Hawks trapped with an eight second violation. Breakers - 94 Hawks - 78
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' Time out called. Breakers - 94 Hawks - 78
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' The Hawks to Harris now and then Kay who drives and loses it. Breakers way out on the fastbreak and Webster lays it in with not a defender insight. That should be enough to do it for the Breakers. Great pass upcourt after the steal from Vukona. Breakers - 94 Hawks - 78
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 2' Rotnei Clarke now with a miss from deep before the Hawks cause a turnover, and then Harris is fouled fast by Abercrombie to prevent the 2 on none break. Breakers - 92 Hawks - 78
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' Stockton now with a lovely pull up jumper and all of a sudden the lead is 14 again. Breakers - 92 Hawks - 78
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 3' That's massive from the Breakers! Webster with a corner three, then some lovely defence on Ogilvy means he misses the shot. Ogilvy fouls Webster at the other end. Breakers - 90 Hawks - 78
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 4' Harris makes one and this is as close as the lead has been since a few minutes into the game Breakers - 87 Hawks - 78
Scott Pryde
Expert
Q4 4' Great bit of work from Harris to attack the rim and draw the foul on the shot. It missed but he will go to the line. Breakers - 87 Hawks - 77