The New Zealand Breakers horror start to the Australian Basketball League continued on Sunday with a 84-75 loss to Tasmania JackJumpers in Hobart.
It marks a sixth-straight loss to open the campaign that has been snake bitten from the start after coach Dan Shamir and several staff and players contracted COVID-19 in the leadup to the opening game last month.
The battling Kiwi club trailed at the end of each quarter and were never able to recover from a poor opening frame when the home side sped out to a nine-point lead.
New recruit and former Orlando Magic NBA player Chasson Randle didn't provide tre offensive impact hoped by the club, finishing with eight points in just under 16 minutes of court time, but Jeremiah Martin (24) and Kiwi big man Yanni Wetzell (20) were again standout performers for the winless NBK club.
The Tasmanian side had lost five in a row in their debut campaign, but improved to 2-5 on the season with star guard Josh Adams netting 21 points while Aussie Clint Steindl had four three-pointers in a 14-point haul.
The Breakers play fourth-placed Cairns Taipans on New Year's Eve.
Tasmania JackJumpers 84 (Josh Adams 21, Clint Steindl 14) bt
New Zealand Breakers 75 (Jeremiah Martin 24, Yanni Wetzell 20)
