Basketball New Zealand

Kirk Penney (Photosport)

Prolific Burger King NZ Breakers shooting guard Kirk Penney has taken out his second Australian NBL Player of the Week award in three weeks after a Round 19 performance that helped keep his team’s playoff chances afloat.

Penney won the NBL’s weekly award back in Round 17 and also came close to winning again in Round 18, just being edged out by Gold Coast’s Adam Gibson.

With the Breakers needing to win the remainder of their fixtures to have a chance at a playoff berth, Penney stepped up once more in his team’s game against the fourth-seeded Wollongong Hawks on Thursday at the North Shore Events Centre.

He hit 23 points on 7/18 shooting from the field and 3/7 from downtown. Penney also added four rebounds, two assists and two steals, which helped the Breakers upset the higher-ranked Hawks, 88-60.

Penney was also great from the free throw line, hitting six of his seven attempts.

Penney’s 12 first half points helped the Breakers hold an eight-point lead heading into the halftime break. Penney seemed to have a tight grip on the match throughout the third quarter with most of his shots finding the bottom of the net. The Hawks simply could not stop the inspirational skipper as he cut and weaved his way through the defence with ease.

With seven minutes remaining on the clock, Penney was in no mood to see his side lose another fourth-quarter lead, burying a three pointer to see the Breakers’ margin balloon out to 29 points.

With two season-defining games coming up this week for the Breakers - Gold Coast at home and Cairns away - the Breakers will hope Penney remains on song and helps them make the final four.

Although currently in fifth, the NBL playoff race is so close that the Breakers could in fact rise as far as second if results fall their way.

NBL PLAYER OF THE WEEK 2009/10
Round One – CJ Bruton (NZ Breakers)
Round Two – Rich Melzer (Cairns)
Round Three – Corey Williams (Townsville)
Round Four – Corey Williams (Townsville)
Round Five - Mark Worthington (Melbourne)
Round Six – John Gilchrist (Adelaide)
Round Seven – Adam Ballinger (Adelaide)
Round Eight – Julius Hodge (Melbourne)
Round Nine – Dusty Rychart (Cairns)
Round 10 – Oscar Forman (NZ Breakers)
Round 11 – Tywain McKee (Wollongong)
Round 12 – Tywain McKee (Wollongong)
Round 13 – Adam Ballinger (Adelaide)
Round 14 - Corey Williams (Townsville)
Round 15 – Julius Hodge (Melbourne)
Round 16 - Mark Worthington (Melbourne)
Round 17 – Kirk Penney (NZ Breakers)
Round 18 - Adam Gibson (Gold Coast)
Round 19 - Kirk Penney (NZ Breakers)