Wellington, Jan 1 NZPA - Bouyed by an unexpected promotion overnight, the New Zealand Breakers have touched down in New South Wales targetting two wins in a crucial Australian National Basketball League (ANBL) wins.

A shock loss by former leaders the South Dragons to the Townsville Crocidiles last night has seen the Breakers assume the ANBL lead.

The Dragons have had two more wins but have played three more games than the Breakers, who sit on top at the start of 2009 courtesy of a superior winning percentage.

To stay there they will have to win both their pending matches -- against the Wollongong Hawks tomorrow night and the Sydney Spirit 24 hours later in west Sydney.

With 15 wins and just four losses to their name and a much-improved record across the Tasman this season, the Breakers will start firm favourites.

However, they face opponents who are starting to get desperate about their playoff prospects, with the Hawks hovering delicately in eighth place and the Spirit seventh.

Also, the New Zealand side are without star injured point guard CJ Bruton, who continues to recovery from an ankle injury.

The Breakers have a poor record in Wollongong, having won just once there in seven visits.

It is also an historic night for the hosts tomorrow as Wollongong will be playing their 869th game, setting a new record as the most by any franchise in ANBL history.

The Hawks are the only club remaining from the league's debut season in 1979.

They beat Sydney at home on Saturday 121-117 to end a r un of eight straight losses and boast a healthy six-from-nine home record at the "Sandpit" this season.

The Breakers won their only other meeting this year, in round one in Auckland when Kirk Penney scored a career high 41-points, which remains the highest score posted by any player this season.

The Breakers' last game was their impressive 118-94 home defeat of the Perth Wildcats nearly two weeks ago and they are boosted by having won their last seven games on the road.

Revenge will be on the mind of Sydney Spirit, who lost 70-114 to the Breakers in their previous game, in Auckland on December 18 -- a Breakers club record winning margin.

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