Basketball: Breakers slump deepens

ADELAIDE 134 BREAKERS 105

SYDNEY - The news doesn't get any better for the bruised New Zealand Breakers as their Australian National Basketball League (ANBL) odyssey faces another huge obstacle in Melbourne tonight.


Drubbed 134-105 by the Adelaide 36ers last night, the downcast Breakers have to back up against the well-rested Victoria Giants in a bid to snap a four-game losing streak.


Adelaide avenged their opening day 110-111 loss at North Harbour earlier this month by comprehensively outplaying a Breakers unit sorely missing forwards Pero Cameron and Ben Melmeth.


The injury crisis is poised to deepen after hard-working American forward Casey Frank twisted an ankle late in last night's defeat at the Homes Dome.


Outside shooting proved the Breakers' Achilles heel again with the visitors landing only three from 18 attempts launched outside the arc.


The 36ers converted 11 of 19 to build and then protect a sizable lead.


Defence was also a worry for Jeff Green's roster with the coach admitting one-on-one defending was sub-standard.


"Until we learn to play better defence were going to struggle in this league," Green said.


There was positive news on the boards with the Breakers grabbing 44 rebounds to 29.


Both teams put up 82 shots, but the 36ers superior shooting percentage allowed them to run away with the victory.


"They capitalised whenever we turned over the ball and the eight three-pointers they scored off our turnovers was a big difference," Green said.


Australian forward Blake Truslove led the scoring for the Breakers with 16 points and added 10 rebounds before fouling out just before the match finished. Frank tallied 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists before turning his ankle.


American guard Charles Thomas led all scorers with 22 points for the 36ers while fellow import Dusty Rychart contributed 19 points in his first appearance for Adelaide this season.


The Breakers twice held leads in the first quarter but failed to score for four minutes either side of the quarter-time break as the 36ers skipped away to an unassailable lead.


Adelaide assistant coach Scott Ninnis was delighted with Rychart's performance.


"He hit the ground running," he said.


"We thought it would probably take him a little while to get back into it but what he did was outstanding."


Ninnis said Adelaide had found a way to use their shorter lineup effectively in the last two games.


"We're going to get out rebounded in a lot of games but in the last two games we've matched teams physically and we haven't been intimidated."


New Zealand Breakers 105 (Blake Truslove 16, Phill Jones 14) lost to Adelaide 36ers 134 (Charles Thomas 22, Martin Cattalini 20). Halftime: 44-59.


- NZPA