The SKYCITY Breakers will begin preparations for the defence of their NBL title with pre-season games against the Sydney Kings in September at Claudelands Arena in Hamilton and ILT Stadium Southland in Invercargill.

Claudelands Arena will host the SKYCITY Breakers for the first time since the Dongguan Leopards visit prior to the 2013-14 season, while the ILT Stadium game will be the first time the Breakers have visited Invercargill.

SKYCITY Breakers CEO Richard Clarke said the games against the Kings were another opportunity for different parts of the country to experience a Breakers game night.

"The pre-season games are a great opportunity for us to get out to different parts of the country and get involved in different communities, meet a whole lot more Breakers fans" said Clarke.

"In the past few seasons we have taken games to Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington, New Plymouth, Tauranga and Rotorua. We always get a great response in Hamilton, so it is good to be heading back to Claudelands again, and it is exciting to take the team to Invercargill for the first time."

"In addition to the games we are working with both venues on opportunities for the players to get involved in the local communities."

There is a strong Invercargill connection with Paul Henare the Head Coach of the NZ NBL winning Southland Sharks, and current SKYCITY Breakers players Tai Wesley, Duane Bailey and Shea Ili all part of that title winning roster.

Both the SKYCITY Breakers and Sydney Kings intend bringing their full strength rosters for the pre-season games, which for the Kings will include former NBA star Josh Childress.

Kings Head Coach Damian Cotter is sure the Kings will be ready for the challenge.

"While it is pre-season, we’ll be training every day and preparing for it like any other game so to be able to measure ourselves against a team of that calibre will be terrific for us."

It’s good for a team to get away in the pre-season and for us to go and play against the reigning champs, it gives us a great opportunity to see where we are at."

Clarke believes the pre-season games will give fans a glimpse of what promises to be another exciting and closely contested NBL season.

"The Kings have recruited very well in the off season, they are going to have a very strong roster this season. Every team looks to have got better and added some very exciting players, it is going to be a fun season for the fans." said Clarke.

"These games will be a great indicator of where both teams are at early in the pre-season, and give us a glimpse of just how close we all think the NBL will be this season."

SKYCITY BREAKERS vs SYDNEY KINGS
Wednesday, 9 September
Claudelands Arena, HAMILTON
Tickets on sale this Thursday 23 July from www.ticketek.co.nz/0800 TICKETEK

• In addition to the Hamilton and Invercargill games, the SKYCITY Breakers will play a third game against the Kings in Auckland. The venue of this game is still to be confirmed.