Fixtures

Australia NBL 12/25 07:00 13 Tasmania JackJumpers vs New Zealand Breakers - View
Australia NBL 12/31 08:30 14 Cairns Taipans vs New Zealand Breakers - View
Australia NBL 01/05 03:30 15 New Zealand Breakers vs Perth Wildcats - View
Australia NBL 01/08 08:30 15 Brisbane Bullets vs New Zealand Breakers - View
Australia NBL 01/11 06:30 16 Illawarra Hawks vs New Zealand Breakers - View
Australia NBL 01/13 06:30 16 New Zealand Breakers vs Melbourne United - View

Results

Australia NBL 12/20 06:30 13 [9] New Zealand Breakers v Sydney Kings [3] L 84-92
Australia NBL 12/14 06:30 12 [9] Adelaide 36ers v New Zealand Breakers [7] L 111-94
Australia NBL 12/12 06:30 12 [5] New Zealand Breakers v Tasmania JackJumpers [7] L 76-100
Australia NBL 12/07 06:30 11 [3] New Zealand Breakers v Sydney Kings [4] L 83-98
Australia NBL 12/05 06:30 11 [3] New Zealand Breakers v Melbourne United [1] L 70-97
Australia NBL 12/01 05:30 10 [5] Perth Wildcats v New Zealand Breakers [2] L 123-112
Australia NBL 11/28 08:30 10 [3] Illawarra Hawks v New Zealand Breakers [2] L 109-71
Australia NBL 11/16 06:30 9 [10] Cairns Taipans v New Zealand Breakers [2] W 69-77
Australia NBL 11/09 06:30 8 [10] Tasmania JackJumpers v New Zealand Breakers [1] L 83-64
Australia NBL 11/04 08:30 7 Melbourne United v New Zealand Breakers W 79-113
Australia NBL 11/02 06:30 7 [3] New Zealand Breakers v Adelaide 36ers [4] W 109-82
Australia NBL 10/27 03:30 6 [3] Sydney Kings v New Zealand Breakers [5] W 89-93

Wikipedia - New Zealand Breakers

The New Zealand Breakers (also known as the BNZ Breakers for sponsorship reasons) are a New Zealand professional basketball team based in Auckland. The Breakers are the only non-Australian side currently competing in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL), and one of only two non-Australian sides to have done so (the other being the now-absent Singapore Slingers). They play their home games at multiple venues, mainly Spark Arena in Auckland. In 2011, the Breakers won their first NBL championship and successfully defended it in 2012 and 2013, claiming the second three-peat in NBL history. They won their fourth title in 2015.

The Breakers were owned by Liz and Paul Blackwell from 2005 to 2018 when a consortium headed by former NBA player Matt Walsh became the majority shareholders via a newly formed company called Breakers Basketball Ltd.

History

Early years

In March 2003, a New Zealand basketball team was confirmed to be entering the Australian National Basketball League in the 2003–04 season. Three Waikato businessmen, Michael Redman, Dallas Fisher and Keith Ward, were persuaded to start the Breakers franchise.

A driving force behind establishing the Breakers was inaugural coach Jeff Green. Green stepped down as coach two months into the season and was replaced by assistant coach Frank Arsego. The Breakers finished their first season in tenth place with a 12–21 record.

After finishing the 2004–05 season in last place, the Breakers replaced Arsego with Andrej Lemanis for the 2005–06 season. In 2005, Liz and Paul Blackwell took over ownership of the Breakers.

With the addition of Kirk Penney for the 2007–08 season, the Breakers made their first playoff appearance. The Breakers returned to the playoffs in 2008–09 behind Penney and C. J. Bruton. Penney was sidelined for nine games with a back injury in 2009–10, with a mid-season slump leading to the Breakers missing the playoffs.

Championship era (2010–2016)

Breakers' Gary Wilkinson makes a pass against Wildcats' Cameron Tovey

The 2010–11 season saw the Breakers earn their first minor premiership with a first-place finish and a 22–6 record. They went on to reach their inaugural NBL grand final with a 2–1 semi-final victory over the Perth Wildcats. In the grand final series, the Breakers defeated the Cairns Taipans 2–1 to win their maiden NBL championship. They became the first New Zealand side to win a major Australian championship. The team was led by Penney, Bruton, Mika Vukona, Gary Wilkinson, Paul Henare and grand final MVP Thomas Abercrombie.

The 2011–12 season saw the Breakers claim the minor premiership with a 21–7 record and reach the NBL grand final series, where they defeated the Perth Wildcats 2–1 to win their second championship. The team was led by Wilkinson, Abercrombie, Vukona, Daryl Corletto, Cedric Jackson and grand final MVP C. J. Bruton.

The 2012 off-season saw the departure of Gary Wilkinson and the elevation of Alex Pledger to the starting line-up, while guard Corey Webster returned to the squad after a 12-month suspension for the use of banned substances. The 2012–13 season saw the Breakers win the minor premiership behind a 15-game winning streak. They went on to reach the NBL grand final series, where they defeated the Wildcats 2–0 to win their third straight championship behind grand final MVP Cedric Jackson. The Breakers became just the second team to win a three-peat of championships after the Sydney Kings in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

The 2013 off-season saw the departure of long-time coach Andrej Lemanis.

Breakers playing against the Perth Wildcats in 2014

After missing the playoffs in 2013–14, the Breakers brought back Cedric Jackson for the 2014–15 season. They finished the regular season in second place with a 19–9 record and defeated the Adelaide 36ers 2–0 in the semi-finals to return to the NBL grand final. In the grand final series, the Breakers defeated the Cairns Taipans 86–71 in game one and 83–81 in game two. Ekene Ibekwe hit the game-winning buzzer beater in game two to lift the Breakers to their fourth championship in five seasons. Jackson was named grand final MVP for the second time.

The Breakers returned to the NBL grand final series for the fifth time in six years in 2015–16, where they lost 2–1 to the Perth Wildcats. Following the 2015–16 season, chief executive Richard Clarke and coach Dean Vickerman parted ways with the organisation, with Paul Henare becoming head coach and Dillon Boucher becoming general manager.

Post championship era and new ownership (2016–2020)

After missing the playoffs in 2016–17, the Breakers had a 9–1 record early in the 2017–18 season, setting their best start in franchise history. They went on to finish the regular season in fourth place with a 15–13 record and lost to Melbourne United in the semi-finals. Kirk Penney retired following the season.

In 2018, a consortium headed by former NBA player Matt Walsh became the majority shareholders via a newly formed company called Breakers Basketball Ltd. The Breakers missed the playoffs in 2018–19 with a sixth-place finish and a 12–16 record.

The 2019–20 season saw the appointment of new coach Dan Shamir and the acquisition of R. J. Hampton as part of the NBL Next Stars program. The Breakers subsequently had record home crowds and engagement. Despite winning 11 of their last 14 games to finish the season, the team missed the playoffs on points differential.

COVID-affected years (2020–2022)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season start date was delayed until January 2021. As a result of the pandemic, the Breakers were forced to commit to being based in Australia for the majority of the season. They hosted a number of games as the 'home' team in Tasmania and only returned to play their last seven games in New Zealand in late May. A number of players missed large portions of the season due to injury and personal issues, including Robert Loe (20 games), Thomas Abercrombie (9), Corey Webster (8) and Tai Webster (7). The team also had a mid-season import change, with Lamar Patterson being replaced by Levi Randolph. They finished the season in eighth place with a 12–24 record.

As a result of the pandemic, the Breakers played their entire 2021–22 season in Australia, basing themselves in Tasmania. The team faced a COVID outbreak on the eve of the season, which they had to play through en route to a 0–6 start. With a 5–23 record, the Breakers had their worst season in their 19-year history.

Return to the grand final (2022–present)

With the departure of Dan Shamir, assistant coach Mody Maor was elevated to head coach for the 2022–23 season and helped the Breakers become championship contenders. The Breakers finished the regular season in second place with an 18–10 record, as they clinched their first playoff appearance in five years. They went on to reach their first grand final series since 2016. In game one against the Sydney Kings, the Breakers won 95–87. After losing games two and three, the Breakers tied the series with an 80–70 win at home in game four in front of their biggest ever crowd of 9,742. They went on to lose the deciding game five 77–69, as the Kings claimed the championship.

The Breakers started the 2023–24 season with a 3–7 record. They went on to finish sixth with a 13–15 record and lost in the play-in game.

Thomas Abercrombie retired following the 2023–24 season, ending his NBL career with 429 games and finishing as the Breakers' most-capped player. Head coach Mody Maor parted ways with the Breakers during the off-season to pursue a coaching opportunity in Asia.

The Breakers started the 2024–25 season with a 6–2 record following a 34-point win over Melbourne United on the road. The Breakers entered the FIBA break in second place with a 7–3 record and subsequently signed 7'6" Senegalese import, Tacko Fall.

The New Zealand Breakers are a professional basketball team based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and have established themselves as one of the top teams in the league.

The Breakers have a strong fan base and are known for their fast-paced, exciting style of play. They have a history of success in the NBL, having won multiple championships and consistently making deep playoff runs.

The team is known for its talented roster of players, both from New Zealand and around the world. They have a reputation for developing young talent and providing opportunities for players to showcase their skills on a competitive stage.

The New Zealand Breakers are a respected and competitive team in the NBL, and they continue to be a force to be reckoned with in the world of basketball.