The New Zealand Breakers returned home on Sunday after 153 days in Australia.
And while their coach admits their ANBL season is lost, they hope they can find something they haven't had all season in their remaining seven games in New Zealand.
The Kiwi side arrived home to emotional embraces from loved ones and club staff today, with the sacrifice of basing the majority of their Aussie NBL season in Australia finally over.
"It's been a long and exhausting, and not easy five months," coach Dan Shamir tells Newshub.
Those sentiments are echoed by the Breakers' captain.
"It felt like forever over there," Tom Abercrombie says. "[It] felt like this day would never come."
For Abercrombie, while he had already picked up his bags, his most important pieces of luggage were waiting for him at arrivals - his children.
"Kids change a lot in five months," Abercrombie adds.
"I haven't seen my youngest one yet he's at home with grandma. But five months in the lifespan of an 18-month-old is a lot of time."
Being away from their families was just one of the sacrifices that came with playing in this year's campaign.
And after Saturday's 73-71 loss to Illawarra Hawks, they know it's a campaign they can no longer win.
"In terms of results and making the playoffs this season - let's be realistic - it's a lost one," Shamir concedes.
But there's still plenty to play for. They now get seven consecutive home games, and a chance to rediscover something that's been missing all season
"Hopefully we can enjoy playing, and that's also something that happens mostly in front of a home crowd," Shamir adds.
They'll get to do that for the first time this Thursday, but not before some home time with family first.
