Coming home: Breakers set to return to NZ

When I’m on that plane and I’m heading home, that’s when I will really get excited and start imagining the hugs with the kids.

Captain Tom Abercrombie

The Breakers are set for a longawaited homecoming with seven consecutive games to be hosted in New Zealand to round out their Australian NBL season.

Scheduling for the final six weeks of the 2020-21 season has been released, with the Breakers on New Zealand hardwood floors on May 20 against the Sydney Kings.

It will mark the first time the lone Kiwi franchise in the transtasman competition has played in New Zealand since February 2020.

Breakers owner Matt Walsh says all staff and players are excited to be returning home.

“Our priority has been to get our players and staff home to their families as soon as possible. We wouldn’t have gotten through this very challenging season without the support of our families and friends.

“We are very grateful that we get to finish our season playing seven home games.”

It has been 427 days since the franchise last played a home game, a matchup with the South East Melbourne Phoenix in Christchurch on February 14 last year.

The Breakers last played in Auckland on January 31, 2020.

The Breakers have been based in Australia since before Christmas, and captain Tom Abercrombie has welcomed news the team is heading home.

“The prospect of going back to New Zealand, getting some home games is obviously very exciting,” he said.

Abercrombie has not seen his wife or three children since mid-January, while guard Corey Webster has missed both his children’s birthdays and his son’s first day at school while being in Australia.

“It’s tough being away, they’re growing up so quick, they’re at an age where they grow and change every week,” Webster said.

The 32-year-old expected the narrow losses the team continues to suffer to turn into wins when the Breakers are playing on home soil.

“Home crowd atmosphere is a huge thing in sports; you feed off your crowd’s energy, you’re playing in front of your friends, your family, and your loyal fans, and that all adds to the atmosphere and the way you feel,” Webster said.

The Breakers play 10 more games in Australia, beginning with a clash with the Brisbane Bullets in Tasmania tomorrow, before coming home.

It is expected the team will travel to New Zealand next month where they will play seven consecutive games without having to return to Australia to play a regular-season game again.

“It’s a little cruel the bubble is going to be open, but we can’t go back straight away, but we’ve learned very quickly this season to deal with whatever comes our way and not make excuses,” Abercrombie said.

“When I’m on that plane and I’m heading home, that’s when I will really get excited and start imagining the hugs with the kids.”