Breakers to face the Bullets first as they hit the regions

It’s just the pre-season but the Breakers are pledging to put on a show as they hit the regions for their three-game series against Andrej Lemanis’ Brisbane Bullets.

Yes, new head coach Paul Henare has a laundry-list of things he needs to achieve before the regular season tipoff on October 7, and a few new faces to familiarise with the Breakers way − including newly signed replacement Aussie point guard Isaih Tueta.

But that won’t come at the cost of putting out some entertaining hoops as the two teams open the series in Tauranga on Tuesday, and then head on to Napier on Thursday and Invercargill on Saturday to wrap up what should be an exciting matchup.

The Bullets have been handpicked

for this always important national tour, when the Breakers look to expand their brand beyond the confines of the Auckland metropolis and reinforce the fact they’re representing a nation, not a city.

Back in the ANBL after an eight-year hiatus, the Queenslanders have unashamedly borrowed from the Breakers’ blueprint

of success, recruiting Lemanis (head coach), CJ Bruton (assistant coach) and Richard Clarke (General Manager) to oversee their return.

They have also signed exbreaker Reuben Te Rangi to a solid roster that includes wellcredentialed imports Jermaine Beal (ex-perth) and Torrey Craig (ex-cairns), and quality Aussies in Cameron Bairstow (most recently from the Chicago Bulls), Adam Gibson Daniel Kickert, Anthony Petrie, Tom Jervis, Mitchell Young and Shaun Bruce.

Henare is anticipating an excellent hitout between two clubs still figuring their new identities out ahead of the real stuff in October.

‘‘They’re at a reasonably similar stage to what we’ll be, so it should be a well-matched series,’’ said the new head coach. ‘‘For both of us it’s about figuring out where we’re at, what we’re going to do and how we’re going to play.’’

But Henare assured he was feeling a strong obligation to put on some quality hoops for the good folk of the regions.

‘‘That’s part of the balance of these pre-season games. There are things you want to achieve, but it’s not just playing everybody for the sake of it. The fans are paying good money and they want to see their favourites on the team.

‘‘That balance of putting on a show and giving guys a chance to play will be something we’ll work through but getting into those communities is really special for us. We have close ties with all three places Kirk Penney’s family are from just down the road (Whakatane) and Mika [Vukona] is from Tauranga; Hawke’s Bay is really close to my heart; and down in Southland we’ve got the connection through myself and Juddy (assistant coach Judd Flavell) and several players.’’

Fans will also get the first chance to see new faces in imports Ben Woodside and Akil Mitchell, as well as Penney and Rob Loe who return to the club after some time away. New recruit Tueata has also arrived just in time for the series, brought in to cover for the extended absence of Tall Black Shea Ili who has a stress fracture in his back. He has played most recently for the Brisbane Spartans in the SEABL competition.

Skipper Mika Vukona, who has made a quicker than anticipated recovery from eye socket surgery, said he hoped to make an early statement against the newcomers.

‘‘You always want to have something planted in their heads,’’ he said. ‘‘You don’t want them to come in and kill you and they think they they’re going to come in during the regular season and do the same thing.

‘‘You always want to have in the back of their minds, ‘oh heck, this is going to be a tough game’. We can’t come out soft, and Pauli is not going to let that happen. We’re going to come out and play the way he played, and that’s what this team is going to look like.’’