Basketball: Breakers keep playoffs hope alive with fifth straight win

The New Zealand Breakers stayed in the hunt for the Australian National Basketball League playoffs as they overcame the Hunter Pirates 93-82 last night.

Continuing the physical nature of recent Breakers clashes, the team out-muscled the bottom-of-the-table Pirates in Newcastle despite having two players foul out in a match featuring several harsh calls from the referees.

Iona Enosa was forced off the court after two consecutive technical fouls in the third quarter while Mike Chappell also fouled out but still managed to top score with 19 points.

The Breakers superior shooting was the key to the victory, nailing 37 of 78 shots from the field compared to their opponents only netting 27 from the same number of attempts.

The Breakers led 27-16 at the end of the first quarter, 51-41 at halftime and 75-59 at the third break.

They have now won five games in a row but face the daunting prospect of an away trip to the top-of-the-table Sydney Kings next Saturday.

To add to that challenge, the Breakers could potentially be without captain Pero Cameron and Iona Enosa for the match after both were cited following alleged incidents in the team's win over the Victoria Giants on Wednesday.

Cameron has been charged with striking Victoria's David Biwer with a forearm to the head and Enosa was charged with unsportsmanlike behaviour.

- HERALD STAFF