Tatum 'sorry' after Breakers dunk on Hawks by 42

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One team was ready to play and one wasn't. The New Zealander Breakers were the former and defending champions Illawarra Hawks the latter as the Breakers destroyed the Hawks 102-60 at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Round 7 of NBL26.

Breakers head coach Petteri Koponen knew New Zealand (3-7) would come in and put themselves in a position to win but by 42 ...

"If I’m honest, no," Koponen revealed.

"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?

"That was a big topic for us. 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.Offensively, we were more patient — moving the ball, searching and not settling or forcing things if they weren’t there.

"Proud of the guys. Great performance, great performance. Happy, of course."

Breakers big Sam Mennenga's finished with 21-point, 11-rebound double-double as 4,080 home fans sat largely silent.

New Zealand captain Parker Jackson-Cartwright as +29 in 27:44 minutes with 11 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals, driving the Breakers to a double-digital lead early.

"It’s obviously my job to put guys in the right position," he said.

"Like Coach said, he’s been on me about balance and setting the tone. I just want to do my job for this team.

"Everyone did their job really well tonight — not just myself. Everyone who played did a great job on offense and defense.

"This team is going to be really good when we do it by committee. As one of the captains and leaders, it’s my job to set the tone."

Hawks guard William "Davo" Hickey played his first game of the season, wearing googles after recovering from an eye injury, and his first burst of energy gave fans a glimpse of what they had missed while new import QJ. Peterson Jr, signed of October 20, is still finding his way.

Hickey, who played 26 minutes, finished with six points, six assists, two rebounds and a steal but five turnovers as he gets reacclimatised to game speed while had four points, on 1-from-10 from the field, three assists, a rebound and a steal. Hickey's frustration boiled over with the Hawks down almost 20 near the end of the second quarter, earning himself a frustration technical foul.

Hawks (2-5) head coach, sitting by himself in the post game press conference, said: "I first want to apologise to our fans and our members for the lack of effort that we gave today. As a whole and as a team, we will definitely do better next home game on Wednesday.

"I tip my hat to New Zealand for coming in and doing what they’re supposed to do on the road. It was just a tough day at the office for us, and we’re looking to bounce back on Sunday.

Tatum said it was less about the return of Hickey and getting Peterson into the flow but an uncoachable: effort.

"It wasn’t the two new pieces — Davey and QJ — coming in," he said.

"They had a solid week of practice; their energy and expectations were different. It just didn’t show from everybody, including myself and the staff.

"We all take the fault from the beginning of the game. Yes, we’re starting to get a full roster back, but our effort and determination have to be better. That was it.

"I can’t harp on it too much, even though it burns me inside.

"I try to keep being positive. There’s a lot of positive we can build on — I have a lot of healthy guys in this locker room; I haven’t had this all season.

"It wasn’t our skill set — we got out-physicalled, and our offense got clunky here and there.

"I remind the guys where we’re trying to get to, and that we have to do it together. Stay positive as much as possible."

The Hawks were down 52-34 at half-time as Mennenga dominated with 14 points, five rebounds and an assist.

Key Details

• Result: New Zealand Breakers 102 def. Illawarra Hawks 60
• When: 31st October 2025
• Where: WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Sam Mennenga (New Zealand Breakers) starred with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and one assist in 22 minutes.
• JaVale McGee (Illawarra Hawks) scored 13 points and had 10 rebounds and one assist in 16 minutes.

What Happened

The Breakers established dominance from the opening tip, jumping to a 31-18 lead in the first quarter behind Rob Baker II's hot shooting from beyond the arc. New Zealand maintained control through the second period, extending their advantage to 52-34 at halftime through efficient team basketball and dominant rebounding.

New Zealand's defensive intensity proved too much for the Hawks in the third quarter, limiting Illawarra to just 10 points while pouring in 27 of their own. The Breakers' lead ballooned to 79-44 heading into the final frame, effectively putting the game out of reach with an entire quarter remaining.

Sam Mennenga was exceptional for New Zealand, recording 21 points on 8-from-12 shooting (66.7%) while securing 11 rebounds in just 22 minutes of action. His efficient inside-outside game included 2-from-3 shooting from three-point range. Point guard Karim Lopez contributed an outstanding all-round performance with 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block.

The Breakers' superior shooting was the decisive factor, connecting on 50.6% of their field goal attempts (40-from-79) compared to the Hawks' dismal 32.5% (25-from-77). New Zealand also dominated from beyond the arc, hitting 12 three-pointers at a solid 37.5% clip while Illawarra managed just two triples on 23 attempts (8.7%). The rebounding battle further highlighted the disparity, with the Breakers controlling the glass 53-42.

Illawarra struggled to find any rhythm throughout the contest, with team captain Tyler Harvey limited to 11 points on 2-from-11 shooting. The Hawks' offense was stagnant, managing just 16 assists compared to New Zealand's 25. The Breakers also recorded 12 steals to Illawarra's five, turning defensive stops into transition opportunities and establishing their largest lead of 42 points during the dominant performance.