Basketball: Breakers up against Giants' recovered import

Injured Victoria Giants' captain Rob Feaster is expected to be fit to face the New Zealand Breakers in tonight's Australian NBL clash at the North Shore Events Centre.

Coach Mark Wright is anxious to have the US forward back from a foot injury as the Giants try to spike a six-match losing streak that has seen them fade from the playoffs picture.

Feaster missed the Giants' latest loss to Wollongong (101-85) last Friday in a bid to be available for the round-19 appointment in Auckland.

Wright was optimistic the layoff had paid dividends and Feaster could play a full part.

"He just needed rest and to let the swelling subside," Wright said. "Hopefully he'll be right. That's why we rested him, so he would be fine to play against the Breakers."

The 10th-placed Breakers can keep their playoff chances alive if they can extend their winning streak to four.

Considered out of the finals frame after a loss to Townsville on January 17, the new franchise still has a mathematical possibility of making the top eight following a double-header victory against Perth last week.

The Breakers, with a 10-win, 18-loss record, need to improve two spots.

Other than winning they have to rely on Perth's appalling road record continuing.

The Wildcats - 10-14 (1-11 on the road) - are eighth, but still need to play five of their remaining nine games away from home.

Ninth-placed Townsville (9-16) also have a tough month ahead, with their eight games including home matches against the title-challenging Brisbane Bullets and Wollongong Hawks, plus five away matches.

The Breakers hardly have an easy run themselves, with competition leaders Sydney Kings, high-flying Wollongong and Adelaide following the visit of the cellar-dwelling Hunter Pirates.

The Breakers and Giants have split their regular season meetings to date, the Giants winning 90-78 in Melbourne and the Breakers 113-81 when they returned across the Tasman.

With centre Ben Melmeth out for the season with a foot injury and Dillon Boucher completing his suspension, Blake Truslove and Iona Enosa will have the added responsibility of countering the Giants' 2.13m centre Ben Pepper.

Point guard Nathan Crosswell, shooting guard Gary Boodnikoff and power forward Adam Ballinger will also command attention.

Mike Chappell, named ANBL player of the week from the last round, will again spearhead the Breakers' offence, with captain Pero Cameron, Phill Jones and Aaron Olson.

New Zealand Breakers: Pero Cameron (captain), Paul Henare, Lindsay Tait, Aaron Olson, Phill Jones, Paora Winitana, Mike Chappell, Blake Truslove, Iona Enosa, Mike Homik, Lance Baker.

Victoria Giants: Rhys Carter, Greg Blake, Marcus Wright, Gary Boodnikoff, Nathan Crosswell, Ben Pepper, Rob Feaster, David Biwer, Matt Smith, Adam Ballinger.

- NZPA