NBL Overtime host and expert analyst Liam Santamaria has previewed the New Zealand Breakers’ season, which begins on Saturday amidst chaos with COVID-19 cases within the camp.
Santamaria was hopeful for the Breakers in the 2021/22 NBL season, explaining how they would learn from last year’s relocation to Melbourne to better prepare for the season.
“I really feel for the Breakers, they did it so tough last year, played almost all of the season over (in Australia), it’s so hard to win on the road in the NBL,” Santamaria told SENZ's Extra Time with Riccardo Ball.
“I like their roster, and they come over to Australia and they go ‘you know what, we learnt a lot from that experience last season, the situation is different, it looks like we’ll be able to get home sooner than we did last year, we’re ready to hit the ground running’.
“They’ve reloaded nicely.”
The Breakers have added strength and depth to their roster for the upcoming season, with the new line of names impressing Santamaria, as former Breaker Tai Webster was released as he refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
“(They’ve added) some nice international pieces like Payton Siver and Hugo Besson, Ousmane Dieng who is loaded with potential,” he added.
“They recruited Yannick Wetzell, big Kiwi kid who’s got loads of potential.
“Yes, Tai Webster didn’t want to get vaccinated, and they had to release him, but they replaced him with a good talent in Jeramiah Martin.”
A COVID-19 outbreak threatens to disrupt the start of the Breakers’ campaign, as several players and staff test positive for the virus, hoping to minimize the impact on the team as the season draws closer.
“That’s knocked them about a little bit … it’s just a real hit to their preparation,” Santamaria said.
“It’s been a really less than ideal way to prepare.”
The Breakers are scheduled to face the South East Melbourne Phoenix on Saturday night at the John Cain Arena in Melbourne in their season opener.