Koponen: 'This is our identity'

Petteri Koponen knew the New Zealand Breakers’ response to their loss in Brisbane could define their season. So it was no surprise to see him smiling after a bounce-back win that also set a clear benchmark for the group.

After Monday’s defeat to the Bullets, Koponen had plenty of concerns. The Breakers’ defence was porous, while their intensity and concentration dipped. The team returned home for just 24 hours to celebrate Christmas, before flying back out to prepare for a Boxing Day clash with the JackJumpers.

New Zealand set the tone early, scoring the first nine points of the game. Although the contest went to overtime, the Breakers had the answers when it mattered most. The win lifted them to 8–13 and brought them within reach of the sixth-placed Tasmania (9–12).

Koponen was pleased with the response, but made it clear the effort must now be repeated. The Breakers return home next Sunday after a month on the road.

“First of all, a big congratulations to the guys because we talk a lot about playing with character, playing with energy and that's exactly what that game was tonight,” Koponen said.

“I’m really proud of them how they showed up and bounced back after the few difficult games and that has to be the standard every time we step onto the court and put this shirt on.”

“You have to be ready to fight and compete, and sometimes offensively like today it wasn’t always pretty and we couldn’t make some shots or get to the free-throw line, but we kept fighting and didn’t fold on those difficult moments,” Koponen said.

“Everybody who went onto the court played with energy and the guys fought together, and that's what I'm really proud of and this is the identity of how we want to look every time.”

While pleased with the result, Koponen acknowledged there was still plenty to improve. The Breakers shot just 42 per cent from the floor, went 4-of-25 from three, and reached the foul line only six times in 45 minutes.

What carried them was defence and effort. New Zealand showed far greater focus and concentration, highlighted by a crucial late block from Rob Baker II on Bryce Hamilton.

“It’s basketball and sometimes you shoot the ball better, sometimes not, but we didn’t let that affect us and that's what I'm really proud of,” Koponen said.

“We’ve had moments during the year where if the offence isn’t going our way, we collapse as a team. But tonight I didn’t see that. Everybody who stepped on the floor found a way in the end, even when it wasn’t pretty.

“Defensively we were always there and everybody was connected, talking and playing with physicality, and that's the key.

“Those are the winning things and obviously offensively we can be much better and that also gives us that upside. When we can hit our shots and get to the free-throw line, we showed that we can keep playing and I’m really proud of the character that we showed.”