Basketball: Breakers beat Wildcats in Auckland

By JULIE ASH

BREAKERS 98 WILDCATS 89

The New Zealand Breakers kept their slim Australian NBL playoff hopes alive tonight with a 98-89 win over the Perth Wildcats at the North Shore Events Centre.

A strong third-quarter performance helped secure the Breakers their second win over the eighth-placed Wildcats in three days.

Having won 104-97 in Christchurch on Wednesday, the Breakers backed it up with their 10th victory of the season against an eight-man Wildcats side reeling from the suspension of key player Rashad Tucker.

The hosts led 79-73 at three-quarter time and did not surrender the lead down the stretch after the scores were level 27-27 at quarter time and 50-50 at halftime.

Knowing a loss would end their playoff hopes, the Breakers, who were without suspended forward Dillon Boucher, started with big guns Mike Chappell, Pero Cameron, Iona Enosa, Paul Henare and Aaron Olson.

In what was a fairly cautious start from both sides the Breakers held a narrow advantage throughout most of the quarter.

They pieced together some nice offensive play and did a good job of containing powerful Wildcats guard Ricky Grace and forward Tony Ronaldson.

Lindsay Tait, 21, made his presence felt for the Breakers when he entered the game midway through the first quarter, unleashing a three-pointer with his first touch of the ball.

With the match tied up at the end of the first quarter, the Breakers had a couple of early chances in the second stanza through an Enosa steal and a Chappell block, but failed to score.

With the score at 42-all, Breakers coach Frank Arsego did not do his side any favours on the sideline when he collected a technical foul for mouthing off at the ref, which allowed the Wildcats to take a narrow lead.

A Chappell three-pointer seconds before the break saw the score tied at 50-all at halftime.

It was in the third quarter that the Breakers hit their straps and through the shooting prowess of Chappell went out to a 70-59 lead midway through the quarter.

However, with fewer than two minutes to play in the quarter, the Wildcats were back to within a couple of points.

The Breakers went into the last quarter with a six-point lead which they extended to 90-80 with seven minutes remaining.

Defence became key for the Breakers in the dying minutes as the Wildcats battled back, but wise use of the clock, along with two successful Olson free throws, helped them to the win.

The Breakers' top scorers were Chappell and Olson with 20, then Cameron with 19.

Their next match is against Victoria on Wednesday night at the North Shore Events Centre.