Hoops

Illawarra @ New Zealand, 17 JAN

Yes I was gutted with how they finished the game but happy they were at least competitive in this one despite playing well below their best. It made a nice change from simply not turning up and getting blown off the court.

Isaac, the Breakers were ahead for what 90%+ of the game?

I'm not sure anyone will want to match up against the Hawks come playoff time Kobe24.
Although if you want to be the best, you have to go through the best.

Great game. K-Lisch all class, and 2 of those Ellis shots were huge too.

36ers have a decent shot at making up the numbers in the playoffs but can't see more than that

I put the loss down to Vukona's choke at the free throw line and Vickerman not instructing them to foul when up 3 in regulation. Out Coached and out played.

Class display from Lisch and Ellis came up big down the stretch in the absence of Penney.

On the bright side NZ were competitive but that didn't stop the season sweep or the slide out of the 4.

All Vukona had to do was make at least 1 FT. Not good enough.

Why o why did the Perth Wildcats not get Lisch a West Aussie girlfriend when he was playing for us rather than New South Wales girl :)

Webster poor when it counted. 6/20.

Double OT and very few substitutions. They can be forgiven for making errors in judgements.

Lisch v Webster. No contest. Lisch the obvious difference

Ogilvie butchers 2 at the free throw line.

How did NZ get the ball with 3secs left. Another bad decision. Lucky Webster can't make a clutch shot

It's getting ugly in OT

Kevin Lisch

Wow. 3.25 to go in OT. Jackson fouls the hell out of Martin on the break..no call. Ridicolous.

Can't believe NZ didn't foul Martin as he bought the ball up the court. I hurled a thousand expletives at the TV

Breakers need to sort their free throw issues out.

Ced Jackson shooting really well today

NZ up in 3rd but intensity lost on D. 59-58
here come the Hawks

Foreman picked up his 4th foul in the 2cnd quarter

Breakers looking much much better. Can't sleep on the Hawks though.

As a Sixers fan, I'm hoping Illawarra whip some butt today.

I am thinking that the Breakers won't go down and die that easily. They are hurting and there are rumours of team chemistry being bad, but they are at home and they know that Adelaide is right behind them, like an Adelaide driver tailgating along South Rd in peak hour traffic. One mistake, and the Breakers will cope it.

That'll make this game a delicious game to watch.

The refs in Auckland let a lot of stuff go, so I'm expecting a lot of argy-bargy and a bit of lip on the court. There's certainly a lot of jibes available on offer and with two former (unwanted) Breakers (Forman and Penney) on the pine, there's an opportunity to rub it in.

The Breakers won't want to be embarrassed on their own court and so if Illawarra want to put a stake in there hearts, they better drive in it hard.

I'm tipping this to be closer than most Poindexters think. Breakers should lead this game at times, but the more disciplined Hawks will get this in the end.