The NZ Breakers' struggles have continued on Sunday, falling to a 99-89 defeat to South East Melbourne Phoenix in their Australian NBL clash at Bendigo.
The loss is the embattled Kiwi side's seventh in a row, as they sit anchored at the bottom of the standings and on track for their first wooden spoon since 2005.
Riding the hot hand of French 'Next Star' Ousmane Dieng, the Breakers kept pace with the Phoenix through the opening stages of the game, before the Phoenix pulled to a 52-40 advantage heading into halftime.
But the hosts came out firing in the third quarter, as import Xavier Munford and towering big man Zhou Qi helped the Phoenix extend their lead to a daunting 23 points heading into the final quarter, when the Breakers were unable to make a significant dent on their deficit.
Dieng finished with a team-high 19 points - 17 of which came in the first half - on 7/11 shooting, while captain Tom Abercrombie added 17 points.
The Breakers move on to face Sydney Kings on Tuesday.
