Breakers Bad: Hawks star Trey Kell III ended it early

• Hawks set club record for most points in half in 40-minute era
• Californian Trey Kell III had 24 points and the half, finished with 31
• Illawarra go to 15-7, Breakers 8-14

Illawarra Hawks superstar Trey Kell III pretty much ended it in the first half, almost single-handedly demolishing the New Zealand Breakers with 24 points in 13 minutes, setting up the dominant 108-100 win (Game Centre) in Round 16 of NBL25 on January 11, 2025 at the WIN Entertainment Centre.

The final score was closer than it actually was.

Kell went 9-from-13 in the first half, include 3-from-6 from three and was getting any shot he wanted. The 28-year-old American is having an MVP-calibre season but, unfortunately for him, Perth Wildcats star Bryce Cotton is having the MVP season.

Kell finished with 31 on 11-from-19, 8-from-11 inside the arc. His backcourt partner Tyler Harvey went 5-from-8 from three, finishing with 19 points while Darius Days was a highly efficient 8-from-12 compiling his 22 points.

New Zealand gave up 69 points in the first half, which is the Hawks' most in the 40-minute era. It was just one shy of the all-time record set by the Perth Wildcats against the Kings in 2019.

The Breakers went into half-time with a ridiculously poor defensive effort where they let the Hawks roll the ball up the floor, Will Hickey picked it up and simply lob the ball to unguarded Hyunjung Lee at the buzzer. It summed up the their first half — 69-48.

But New Zealand did regroup at half-time, holding the Hawks to just XXX in the second half.

The Breakers were without star import guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright, still suspended after making contact with a referee in their Christmas Day clash against the defending champion Tasmania JackJumpers.

The Hawks, fresh off a bounce-back win against the Tasmania JackJumpers, came out firing on all cylinders. They seized control early, exploiting a Breakers squad in the midst of a gruelling schedule and missing key players Jackson-Cartwright and Mojave King. Illawarra's relentless tempo proved too much for the visitors, who have now dropped 11 of their last 12 contests.

The Hawks capitalised ruthlessly on New Zealand's miscues, converting 11 turnovers into 20 points and dominating the second-chance opportunities 12-3.

Despite a valiant second-half effort from the Breakers, led by Sam Mennenga's 12-point eruption in the third quarter and Matt Mooney's 15-point final frame, Illawarra's lead proved insurmountable. They attempted 88 field goals to New Zealand's 62, fuelled by 20 offensive rebounds that led to 27 second-chance points.

Statistically, the disparity in field goal attempts tells the tale of the tape. Illawarra's had +26 advantage in shots taken, coupled with their 29 points off turnovers.

For the Breakers, Matt Mooney's finished with 33 points, including seven three-pointers, along with eight assists, kept hope alive until the final buzzer.

Sam Mennenga's 24-point performance and NBL Next Stars Karim Lopez's 16-point contribution  were bright spots in an otherwise disappointing outing for New Zealand.

Looking ahead, both teams face quick turnarounds with a Monday double-header looming. The Breakers will need to regroup swiftly as they head to New Plymouth to face Melbourne United, while the Hawks travel to Adelaide for a clash with the 36ers.