Basketball: Battling Breakers get their captain back

The New Zealand Breakers expect to have the services of captain Pero Cameron for the first time this season when they play a home double-header against the Cairns Taipans this week.

Cameron has been in full training over the past week since recovering from knee and foot injuries.

He is likely to return to action against the Taipans in Wellington tomorrow night and at the North Shore Events Centre on Saturday.

The Breakers will train in Wellington this afternoon and have a pre-match shoot-around tomorrow.

The Tall Blacks skipper will be making his first NBL appearance after missing the opening six games.

Cameron suffered a ruptured medial ligament in his left knee and a ruptured tendon in the sole of his right foot during New Zealand's three-test series against Australia in early September.

His return to the line-up may spark a form surge from the Breakers, who are 1-5 in the 33-game regular season and want victories during a six-match home campaign, starting against the Taipans.

Cairns are aiming to bounce back from two consecutive defeats.

"I think we are entering what traditionally has been a danger period for the Taipans," said head coach Guy Molloy.

Cairns started the season with three successive victories but have lost their last two encounters and after a bye last weekend, Molloy knows his team need to avoid a slump in November.

"We've had some areas, particularly in offence, we haven't been happy with," Molloy said.

NZ Breakers squad for Wellington match: Pero Cameron (captain), Dillon Boucher (vice-captain), Paul Henare, Lindsay Tait, Phill Jones, Aaron Olson, Paora Winitana, Brad Williams, Mika Vukona, Casey Frank, Blake Truslove, Iona Enosa.

Cairns Taipans: Ben Arkell, David Cooper, Marcus Timmons, Aaron Grabau, Rupert Sapwell, Tony Rampton, Brad Davidson, Kane Oakley, Anthony Stewart, Melvin Thomas.

Both games start at 7.40pm.