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Breakers point guard CJ Bruton - Source: Photosport -
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The Breakers are home from a successful two win road trip across the Tasman and focus has immediately switched to getting ready for the visit of the Hawks next Thursday night.
The club is continuing with the mantra of 'one game at a time' following the defeat of the Crocodiles on Wednesday night and is not getting caught up in any talk of winning runs or indeed the play offs.
Veteran forward Tony Ronaldson says the only game occupying the minds of the Breakers is Thursday night's clash with the Hawks.
"We are not concerned with how many games we have won, how many we might win or how many we need to win. Our only focus is on winning the next game and working hard in practice to give ourselves the best shot at achieving that. And that means all of our energy is on scouting the Hawks and preparing to play them at home next Thursday."
The win over the Crocodiles was secured on the back of a strong all round team performance with Oscar Forman contributing 19 points to back up Kirk Penney (20) and CJ Bruton (15) in the scoring stakes while Rick Rickert (11) and Penney (9) secured the necessary boards to allow the offence to tick over.
Guard Kevin Braswell contributed a game high five assists and five steals as he continues to find his feet in a Breakers singlet.
It was no surprise during the week also to see Kirk Penney pick up Player of the Week honours after his record breaking 49 point haul against the 36ers a week ago. This is the first time Penney has won the award this season but he is the third Breaker to do so after CJ Bruton and Oscar Forman.
The shooting guard was typically humble in receiving the award.
"As I said after the game against the 36ers this is not about personal milestones, it is about us as a group winning games and we all did what we had to against the 36ers that night. It just worked out that I was the guy benefiting from some great plays and screens giving me plenty of open looks at the basket. This is an honour for me but more so recognition for the team but we have already moved on and have all of our energy and focus on the Hawks next Thursday, which is the only game that matters to us right now."
Penney shot 16-of-23 from the field against the 36ers, which included 9-of-15 from the three-point line. He also made 8-of-11 attempts from the free throw stripe, and added five rebounds, five assists and two steals to his stellar night. Penney's 49 points was just one point shy of Carlos Powell's club record of 50 points. Powell however produced his 50 points in a 48-minute game, rather than the 40-minute version being played this season in the NBL.
Even though Adelaide made a spirited comeback to give themselves a fourth quarter lead, it was Penney who stood up and kept the New Zealand scoreboard ticking over just when it looked like their fourth quarter wobbles were coming back, scoring 16 final quarter points.
Penney and the Breakers then had to travel to the Gold Coast to take on the Blaze in a match that may well have set them up for the playoffs.
The Blaze were ready for Penney in this contest, limiting him to just two first quarter points. However with the game still in the balance late in the fourth Penney's scoring mindset helped the Breakers blow the game wide open.
A two-point Penney field goal then a three-pointer gave the Breakers a comfortable 15-point lead with five minutes to go. Penney finished with 14 points and six rebounds, helping the Breakers take out a monster road win and keep them in the hunt for the playoffs.
Penney's 49 against Adelaide was the second-highest ever in a 40-minute NBL game behind Reg Biddings' 63 on 12/4/1981 and was easily the highest score by any player in the league this season, blowing away the previous best mark of 37 set by Townsville's Corey 'Homicide' Williams.
