New Zealand Breakers are finally set to tip-off their season with an away game against Adelaide 36ers on Friday night and star guard Tai Webster is ready to pay back the club that gave him his start.
The new campaign has brought about a new-look Breakers side who have eight new players including star import Lamar Patterson making them real title contenders.
Another one of those new signings is New Zealand international Tai Webster who is looking to transfer his stellar form in Europe over the last four years back to Breakers who gave him his first start.
"Being back in the Breakers environment is something special for me, it means a lot to play for this club," Webster says. "It's a club that essentially raised me from a young age, so to come back and pay it back and play for them is huge."
Whenever a club can sign a local player of Webster's quality it's a real bonus, and he is out to prove he's a superstar in the league.
"I'm definitely confident in who I am," he says. "I think I'm one of the best point guards in this league and it's time for me to show everyone what I got."
It's been almost a year since the Breakers last played an ANBL game and the Webster's new-look side are expecting nothing but a tough contest first up against the 36ers who have already played three games this season for just the one victory.
"I expect a tough game tomorrow night (Friday), they're a tough team with a lot of good experienced players," Webster says. "It's going to be a hell of a game and I can't wait to get out there."
It hasn't been smooth sailing since the Breakers moved across the ditch due to COVID-19.
They were forced to shift to Tasmania due to new cases of COVID-19 in Victoria - their original base - and now are in a 72-hour hard lockdown in South Australia and only allowed to leave their accommodation for just one hour a day, aside from practice or a league-approved promotional activity.
"It's tough and pretty out of the ordinary that we have to go through a 72-hour lockdown before games like that," he says. "It is what it is and it has to be done in order for us to continue on with the competition.
The New Zealand side will be without Tai's brother Corey who ruled himself out with a freak injury after slicing a nerve while attempting to cut an avocado.
Tipoff for the Breakers season opener at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre is at 9.30pm (NZ time) as Dan Shamir’s men look to kick off their campaign on a positive note.
