Basketball: Four in a row for Breakers

By DAVE WORSLEY



The Breakers' mathematical hope of a playoffs place in their inaugural season of the NBL was given a boost with a 87-69 victory over the Victoria Giants at the North Shore Events Centre last night.

Newly-signed Mike Chappell continued his remarkable scoring run, finishing with 25 points.

But it wasn't just a one-man show, with Phill Jones having one of his best games with 24 points and nine rebounds.

Pero Cameron chipped in with 11, but one of the best efforts of the night came from Iona Enosa with six points but a total of 15 rebounds, his best for the season.

The victory was the Breakers' fourth in a row, while the Giants slumped to their seventh consecutive loss.

An early slam dunk by Chappell saw the Breakers take the lead 8-7, but a late rally by the Giants put the visitors back into contention and trailing by just two at the end of the first quarter.

Chappell finished with 11 points from the first quarter, but in the second he scored just one point and was largely ineffective.

The third quarter started with Jones sinking a couple of early threes and then grabbing a couple of quick steals.

Almost on cue there was a scuffle which saw the Giants' Greg Blake thrown to the ground and Chappell going to the line and shooting two.

Chappell finished the quarter with a three for his side to go to the break 71-54 ahead.

In the final quarter the Giants were unable to pull back the home side's lead, with Jones keeping the Breakers out in front with a handy three.

The Australians scored just 27 points in the second half.

The win puts the Breakers up into ninth position, but the eighth-placed side, Perth, have nine games remaining compared to the Breakers' four.

Nathan Crosswell was the Giants' leading scorer with 16, two ahead of Rob Feaster.

No one else had double figures.

The Breakers play away to Hunter tomorrow.

Quarter scores: First, Breakers 22-20; second, 45-42; third, 71-54, fourth, 87-69.