Breakers to play in Wellington

The Breakers have given Wellington a big Valentine’s Day smooch with the decision to take their fourth and final ‘‘home away from home’’ game this season to the nation’s capital.

The Breakers and Wellington’s Saints organisation formally announced yesterday that the Kiwi Australian NBL club’s final regular season home game against the Illawarra Hawks would be staged at the TSB Arena on February 14, which also just happens to be the official day of romance.

It’s fitting, for there is plenty of love between the Breakers and Saints, of New Zealand’s NBL, with Kevin Braswell (three straight grand finals, two titles) having cut his coaching teeth with the club and this year’s roster containing five players who have featured prominently for the Wellington outfit over the last few seasons in Corey Webster, Tai Wesley, Shea Ili, Jordan Ngatai and Majok Majok.

Previously the Breakers announced they would stage ‘‘home’’ regular season games in Invercargill (Nov 16 v Melbourne) and New Plymouth (Jan 24 v Cairns) as part of a concerted plan to take the team to the country. It’s understood the other down country fixture, on December 21, also against the Hawks, will be played in Hamilton.

General manager Dillon Boucher said: ‘‘It’s exciting to be going back to the capital with their strong basketball tradition.

‘‘To play in front of those fans who know these guys well is pretty special.’’

Saints spokesman Jordan Mills confirmed ‘‘the ship has sailed’’ on a Wellington entry into the Aussie NBL, and ‘‘the next best thing for us is bringing the Breakers to town. It’s an awesome opportunity for our youth to see a fully professional team, and the pathway they can aspire to’’.

Braswell admitted taking home games down country came at a price but said it was a concept the Breakers were committed to.