Braswell: We’re back on track
Kevin Braswell believes a dark cloud has lifted from over his side courtesy of a surging final quarter in Cairns to snap a five-game Australian NBL losing skid.
Braswell’s Breakers survived another third-term slump to power to an 89-78 victory over the Cairns Taipans that the coach believes can prove a turning point in their season.
Yes, it was just the slumping Snakes who have now lost 11 straight since their opening round victory on October 13. And, yes, it was a far from complete performance from the Kiwi outfit who still have backcourt issues and are still prone to go missing, as they did in the third quarter in Cairns when they were outscored 26-17.
But the Breakers were much better when it mattered, leaving the Taipans in their dust with a 27-13 final term that left Braswell saying afterwards that his team would be ‘‘right there’’ at the business end of the season.
Asked what he said when his players gathered at the end of the third quarter down 65-62, Braswell replied: ‘‘I said we’ve been here before. The best thing is we’re not down 15 like we were against Sydney last week. One of the things I put on the board before the game was stay positive and stay focused.
‘‘These guys have been working their butts off for months now. We don’t always come out on the winning side, but we’re right there. I know with the fight they have we’ll be right there in the end.’’
Braswell has stayed as positive as possible during the fivegame skid. He has emphasised all of those defeats were against the league’s top three clubs, and that in four of them his side had been right in the contests down the stretch.
‘‘I don’t think we have ever got discouraged, I don’t think we ever got down and had no belief we had a chance to win ball games,’’ he added.
The Breakers, at 5-8, are not out of the playoff race by any means. They have just one more loss than the fourth-placed Brisbane Bullets (7-7) and can take a further stride in the right direction when they host the Illawarra Hawks in Hamilton on Friday night.
‘‘This league is so even,’’ added Braswell. ‘‘Melbourne has five losses. Besides Perth and Sydney right now most of us are between five and eight [defeats]. You lose a couple and everyone thinks the season is over; you win a couple and they think you’re going to make the playoffs.
‘‘It doesn’t work that way. ‘‘This season will come down to the last three weeks, I can guarantee you.’’
The Breakers still have their issues. Corey Webster’s mystery funk continues and after playing just 12 minutes off the bench against the Taipans, there is clearly something wrong there.
Patrick Richard’s form has also dipped and Armani Moore is still searching for his groove after his injury.
But with Shawn Long’s rise as one of the league’s premier big men, Tai Wesley and Tom Abercrombie continuing to find ways to contribute, Shea Ili back attacking the rim and Jarrad Weeks lighting the fuse off the bench, there is enough for the Breakers to feel good about as Christmas looms.