BASKETBALL
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Wollongong are banking on their "equal opportunity" offence to keep the scoreboard ticking over in tonight's road meeting with reigning champions New Zealand Breakers.
The Hawks racked up 49 points on 58 per cent shooting and tallied 10 assists in the first half of last week's clash with Cairns.
But they were limited to 28 points and four assists in the second half to suffer their 10th loss of the season and slip to sixth spot.
Centre Larry Davidson believes the Hawks are at their best when the ball is moving through hands to create open shots.
"That's the funnest way to play," Davidson said.
"When we have had success, it's been with everyone doing their bit.
"Rotty's [guard Rotnei Clarke] had games where he's carried us for stretches and [swingman] Kevin's [Tiggs] done that a bit for us, but the strength of our team is that you can't focus on one or two players. Everyone's going to have a stretch.
"Because our offence is so open and we don't run specific plays where it ends, the play will keep evolving and then, based on what the defence does, hopefully we can read that and get the shot that we want."
Clarke averaged 28 points in two games against the Breakers.
The seventh-placed NZ side (6-11) won by 19 points in round one in Auckland and prevailed by eight in round four at Wollongong.
The Hawks will be without Tyson Demos (leg infection) while the Breakers hope to have the 2.13-metre tall centre Alex Pledger back from a four-game absence with an ankle injury.
"That's good for us if he does play," Wollongong guard Rhys Martin said of Pledger's expected return.
"He's a seven-footer we like to get into on-balls [screens]. That's what we want.
"We won't have Tyson for this game but hopefully he'll be good for Sunday."
The Hawks (6-10) return to Sydney tomorrow to prepare for Sunday's home game against third-placed Melbourne (10-8).