Breakers want fairness from refs

The New Zealand Breakers are calling for consistency from the referees ahead of tomorrow night's historic home NBL playoff match against the Adelaide 36ers, but admit they have to be good enough to handle whatever end of the stick they're given.

The New Zealand club has some concerns they don't always get a fair go at the hands of the Australian-dominated referees' panel in the NBL, and lopsided foul and free-throw counts against them this season tend to back that up to a degree.

And earlier this week in an interview with Fairfax Media veteran Australian point guard CJ Bruton admitted he had "no doubt" the Breakers received less than fair treatment on the other side of the Tasman.

"I'm not saying it's biased, but I know that being a New Zealand team in an Australian league, Australia wouldn't want you to win a competition like that," said Bruton. "It's a lot tougher and if you're going to get over the hump, you've got to get over it by playing well and being on your Ps and Qs from dot one.

"Then when you do win it, hey, you shake their hands and move on."

Today key Breakers personnel were keen to play down the potential influence of the whistle-blowers in the sudden-death quarterfinal contest. However it was clear that there were concerns that even at home they were prone to calls going against them.

"As an athlete wherever you play basketball more than anything you just want consistency," said Breakers guard Kirk Penney, the league's leading scorer who will be sure to see some physical defensive attention in the sold-out encounter. "And if there are any pre-conceived thoughts they have going in, you want to know what they are as a player so you can be aware of them."

Penney, as team skipper, meets the match officials before every game and says he's always happy to "hear their thoughts".

But the Kiwi shooting star played the diplomatic card over the potential influence of the three match referees.

"It can be nervous for refs, as it can be for players," he said. "You just want players and refs to get in their groove early so they're comfortable. As a player you support refs all the way, you just want to make sure it's consistent across the board."

Veteran Breakers forward Tony Ronaldson, who has played more NBL games than anyone in history and has never missed the playoffs in 20 seasons in the league, said it was important that referees simply weren't a factor in the equation.

But he admitted there was a lot of uncertainty over how the game was blown.

"They always interpret the game don't they," he said. "Sometimes it's black and white, and a lot of times it's grey.

"At times we feel we're hard done by, and I'm sure Adelaide would sit there and say the same thing. We have to make sure we worry about us. Some of our best games this year have been when we've put the refs behind us.

"There are going to be some calls when you know it's not the right one, but it comes back to experience and knowing that you can't let that play affect the next one. For us [refereeing is] not a major issue."

Breakers coach Andrej Lemanis may have his worries from the sideline, but he was doing his best not to play up the issue on the game's eve.

"It's that old catchcry isn't it, it's just about consistency," said Lemanis. "That which looks the same needs to be called the same, and as long as all three refs get on the same page that's all you can ask for."

Asked if it was inevitably harder for a Kiwi team to win an Australian league, with all the factors that work against you, Lemanis was intent on staying positive.

"You've got to play the circumstances presented in front of you, and so far this year every time our team has been faced with a challenge we've responded pretty well.

"I think our guys are looking forward to coming out and overcoming some of those things."

The historic first ever home playoff for the Breakers was heading towards a sellout as of Wednesday afternoon.

Around three-quarters of the 4200-seat arena had been sold by lunchtime, with club officials confident all tickets would be snapped up by match day.

That would mean a "house-full" crowd of 4200, and one heck of an atmosphere as the Breakers look to win their first home playoff match in the NBL.

Ironically the Breakers also met the 36ers in their first ever NBL match back in October 2003. On that occasion the New Zealanders got up 111-110 in a thriller. Something similar would send the big crowd home happy tomorrow night.

- © Fairfax NZ News