By Penny Ydgren
The Breakers have two games left on the NBL regular season but, even if they win both, they are not guaranteed a spot in the playoffs.
With the season on track to be the closest in the NBL’s 31-year history, a six game winning streak may not be enough for the Breakers.
Kirk Penney is the Player Of The Week for the second time in a month, while Tom Abercrombie and Rick Rickert are back from injury layoffs. But to survive another week in the NBL, the fifth placed side need a team above them to crumble.
“It’s very frustrating, every day I’m sitting there like even if we win these games we might not make it,” says Breakers guard Kevin Braswell.
Since import Braswell arrived the Breakers have won four of five games, but this week could be the end with a home game against the third-plated Gold Coast Blaze, and the lowly Cairns Taipans.
“We’ve got a very good team in Gold Coast – we have to put the pedal to the floor right now,” says Rickert.
The Breakers need to hope Wollongong, Townsville or Gold Coast take their foot off the pedal, and lose both their remaining games.
Retiring Breakers Tony Ronaldson has made the playoffs 20 years in a row, but he knows that even with a six game winning streak, it is a long shot this year.
“It’s disappointing if that does happen. It just highlights where we could be at,” he says. “It’ll be a lesson learned for the guys next year.”
With Ronaldson’s home farewell and the playoffs on the line it will be an emotionally charged North Shore Events Centre on Thursday night.
3 News