Prior to the 2008–09 season, the collapse of the Brisbane Bullets saw the Breakers nab C. J. Bruton and Dillon Boucher. The Breakers started the 2008–09 season with a roar, sitting atop the NBL ladder with a 15–4 record heading into 2009. Bruton and Penney were a dominant backcourt duo, however, after Bruton suffered a high ankle sprain in late December, the Breakers stumbled through January to lose eight of their next nine games. After a successful last week of the regular season, the Breakers finished with an 18–12 record, setting the team up with their first ever home playoff game. The Breakers went on to win their elimination playoff, routing the Adelaide 36ers 131–101 to set up a best-of-three semi-final series with the defending champion Melbourne Tigers. In their first ever semi-finals appearance, the Breakers were beaten 2–0.