The NZ SKYCITY Breakers are bracing themselves for the beginning of the trans-Tasman NBL season as they prepare to face Cairns Taipan in Round One this weekend. After a productive pre-season, Coach Paul Henare says the team is feeling confident heading into the new season.
A fresh-faced Breakers are ready to get to work. The team return off the back of a successful month of pre-season matches against some of last season's Top 4 teams, including Adelaide 36ers and Taipans. The team won 4-6 matches.
Henare says 'The guys are putting in the extras now and have been the whole preseason, and even before we got together. So from a physical point of view I think a lot of teams would like to keep making those gains but for where we are at, we're pretty good'.
After finishing fifth overall on the ladder, it is hoped new imports Edgar Sosa and DJ Newbill along with a mix of seasoned veterans and fresh talent can bolster the Breaker's record this year.
'We've obviously spent the whole preseason trying to define who we are as a team and make the roles clear in terms of what we need from each guy individually and that's what we'll focus on moving forward,' Henare says.
The Breakers are set to face the Taipans on Sunday 8 October at Spark Arena.