Illawarra's title defense in tatters as NZ breaks Hawks

• 2025-26 NBL Team Lists and Roster Tracker
• How to watch every NBL game in the 2025-26 season
• Interactive and live NBL Scores and Schedule here

Illawarra Hawks title defense is over.

New Zealander Breakers import Izaiah Brockington lit up the Hawks for 27 points in 31 minutes that all but ended the Hawks push for the final play-in spot in New Zealand in Round 20 of NBL26 in Auckland on Saturday, February 7, 2026.

Mathematicians will argue there is still a chance but realists ... not so much.

Ladder Implications (33 Games Total)

• 6th: Tasmania JackJumpers – 14-17 with two to play (+38)
• 7th: New Zealand Breakers – 12-19 with two to play (-64)
• 8th: Illawarra Hawks – 11-19 with three to play (-147)

"It wasn’t what I expected from the performance of my team," Hawks head coach Justin Tatum said.

"I felt that we should have played with more sense of urgency. I tip my hat to New Zealand for coming out, playing hard, and protecting their home court.

"I wish we would have had better continuity and I wish we would have given better effort, but I tip my hat to New Zealand.

"Every time we’ve played them, they’ve wanted it more than us. That’s basically what it comes down to."

The Hawks are 0-4 against the Breakers in NBL26.

"I’m really proud of the group," Breakers head coach Petteri Koponen said.

"We’ve been talking about the next-man-up mentality, and today everybody who went on the court stepped in and did their job.

"We had some foul problems in the first half and Parker was kind of out, but everyone stepped in. Jack (Andrews) gave us huge minutes. Overall, I’m really proud of the group. It was a great team performance.

"We won the possession game, which was big against them, especially in how we held ourselves in the rebounding department. We forced them into 17 turnovers, and when we got out in transition we were dangerous tonight. It was an excellent job from everybody."

Izaiah Brockington

31:02 MIN │ 27 PTS │ 10–19 FG (52.6%) │ 1–1 3PT │ 6–6 FT │ 4 REB │ 4 AST │ 2 TO │ +1 │ EFF 24

• Primary scoring engine on the night.
• Efficient across all three levels with perfect free-throw shooting.
• Added playmaking value without high turnover cost.
• Joint-best efficiency rating in the game.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright

25:08 MIN │ 23 PTS │ 10–19 FG (52.6%) │ 0–2 3PT │ 3–6 FT │ 8 REB │ 6 AST │ 2 TO │ +11 │ EFF 24

• Controlled the game as lead guard and captain.
• Strong rebounding night for a guard.
• Created consistent advantages in the half-court.
• Equal-highest efficiency rating.

Tai Webster

25:26 MIN │ 17 PTS │ 6–8 FG (75.0%) │ 1–1 3PT │ 4–4 FT │ 5 REB │ 2 AST │ 3 STL │ 1 BLK │ 3 TO │ +2 │ EFF 23

• Elite efficiency in limited usage.
• Defensive activity pops (3 steals, 1 block).

"They had to adjust to us in the second half and go small, and we still found ways to score," Koponen added.

"In the first half, we were sharing the ball, playing the next action, and finding advantages with ease. That gave us confidence.

"Sometimes this season when we go to the bench, our level drops. Tonight, everybody who stepped on the court brought energy. Jack was huge. Max (Darling) picked up two fouls early and Jack had great impact.

"In the second half, we stayed with Jack because he was doing an excellent job. Rob Lowe and Jack gave us huge minutes against McGee and Froling. In the second half, they went smaller and had to adjust to us."

Tatum did go small in the second half, benching three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee.

"When you’re down 11, you don’t really have conversations about it. You just let the team know what’s going on.

"He’s a professional, and I tip my hat to him for staying engaged. This isn’t about JaVale, it’s about the whole team. Every player on my team is professional and about team winning.

"There were no injury concerns. His knees are fine and, as far as I know, he’s physically okay."

Key Details

• Round: 20
• Result: New Zealand Breakers 106 def. Illawarra Hawks 95
• When: Saturday, 7th February 2026
• Where: Spark Arena, Auckland
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Izaiah Brockington (New Zealand Breakers) starred with 27 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists in 31 minutes
• Tyler Harvey (Illawarra Hawks) scored 19 points, 1 rebound and 5 assists in 30 minutes

What Happened

The Breakers established early control and never relinquished their advantage, leading for 38 minutes and 47 seconds of the contest. Auckland's home side built momentum throughout the opening period, setting the foundation for what would prove to be a commanding performance against their visiting opponents.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright orchestrated the Breakers' offense with exceptional efficiency, shooting 10-from-19 from the field for 23 points while adding eight rebounds and six assists. His leadership from the point guard position proved instrumental in maintaining the team's rhythm throughout the four quarters. Robert Loe provided crucial support from beyond the arc, connecting on 3-from-5 three-pointers to finish with 13 points.

Brockington's outstanding shooting display was the difference-maker for New Zealand. The guard went 10-from-19 from the field, including a perfect 6-from-6 from the charity stripe, demonstrating remarkable efficiency when his team needed scoring. His ability to find open looks and convert under pressure kept the Hawks at bay during their comeback attempts.

The Breakers' superior field goal accuracy ultimately decided the contest. New Zealand shot a solid 51% from the field compared to Illawarra's 44%, while both teams struggled from downtown with the Breakers managing 40% and the Hawks shooting a poor 30% from three-point range. The home side's balanced offensive attack featured four players reaching double figures, showcasing their full team effort.

Despite the defeat, Illawarra received strong contributions from their veteran core. Todd Blanchfield matched Harvey's 19-point output while cleaning the glass for six rebounds, and JaVale McGee dominated in the paint with 15 points and seven boards in limited minutes. William Hickey nearly recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds while dishing out nine assists, but the Hawks couldn't overcome their shooting struggles when it mattered most.