Breakers Dominate Hawks 102–60 in NBL Round 7
The New Zealand Breakers delivered a commanding performance against the Illawarra Hawks, winning 102–60 at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong on October 31, 2025. The game exposed significant defensive weaknesses and a lack of effort from the Hawks.
Game Overview
One team showed readiness while the other struggled; the Breakers asserted control early and maintained it throughout. The defending champions, the New Zealand Breakers (3-7), overwhelmed the Hawks in both offense and defense.
Coach Koponen’s Remarks
"If I’m honest, no," said Breakers head coach Petteri Koponen when asked if he expected such a dominant win by 42 points. "But you know, we’ve shown these flashes throughout the beginning of the season. We had great, great 20 minutes, 25 minutes — like you said, against Brisbane we dominated the first half. We were up by, what, 24 points? I think that loss hurt everybody. There was pain, and we took that feeling. Today, the big topic was we need a consistent 40 minutes — and we found that. Especially defensively, we were really connected today. When we get stops, we get to the open court, and we’re a pretty good team. But everything started on the defensive end — guys were communicating, being there, helping each other."
Key Factors Behind the Victory
- Strong defensive communication and support among Breakers players
- Consistent defensive pressure that led to fast breaks and scoring opportunities
- An improved effort from the Breakers compared to earlier in the season
Photo credit: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
Author’s summary: The New Zealand Breakers dismantled the Illawarra Hawks by 42 points, showcasing strong defense and teamwork that the coach emphasized as key to their consistent performance.