Penney perfects both the ‘nice and nasty’

Illawarra Hawks coach Rob Beveridge served up one of the quotes of the season when he spoke about his old charge Kirk Penney’s influence in part one of a weekend double against the New Zealand Breakers.

Penney and the Breakers had just beaten Beveridge’s Hawks 100-85 at the North Shore Events Centre on Friday night to win their fifth game in the last six in the Australian NBL. The two clubs go at it again in Wollongong today in a quickturnaround rematch and Beveridge was keen to reinforce to his players what they were up against.

‘‘I spoke to the guys afterwards about the competitive nature of someone like Kirk Penney who’s one of the most disgustingly nice human beings on the planet, but as soon as he steps over that white line he’s a competitor,’’ Beveridge said.

‘‘He absolutely wants to win so bad, and just having that personality, a great locker room guy, and then a leader on the floor with his competitiveness, makes everyone else more competitive.

‘‘I knew exactly what was going to happen. He wanted that ball in his hands late clock.

‘‘We get back points, then Kirk to eight or nine nails a couple of threes, and it’s done, game over.’’

Penney, of course, played for Beveridge at the Hawks last season before returning for his second, and final, stint with his hometown club on Auckland’s North Shore.

Last season he masterminded a Hawks clean sweep of the Breakers, delivering just that killer instinct that Beveridge spoke about. This time the Illawarra coach was on the wrong end of it, even if he had seen it coming.

Penney led a balanced Breakers effort with 19 points on Friday night as the loss, to a toe injury, of backup centre Rob Loe was handled without angst.

The sharpshooter, who turns 36 on Wednesday, was seven of 15 from the floor and five of 10 from distance as he converted at a regular enough clip to keep the Hawks at bay and improve his team’s record to 6-4.

Breakers coach Paul Henare hopes his veteran swingman can sip from the same motivational well today when the 4-6 Hawks are sure to come out with some major defensive adjustments.

‘‘Across the board you find with athletes that play against friends and former teams they want to perform well. It’s a personal pride thing. You got the feeling leading in that he was going to be aggressive,’’ Henare said.