Basketball: Import impresses as Breakers win twice

By PETER JESSUP

The Breakers are thrilled with the turnaround to their season with consecutive away wins and their new buy Mike Chappell instrumental in both.

The American import top-scored with 22 in the 104-101 win over Hunter Pirates on Friday night and was the money-man with a three-pointer to steal an 82-80 win over West Sydney 20 seconds from the hooter.

Chappell played around 40 minutes both nights, the most of any Breakers' player. There certainly seemed to be a steadying influence in the mix.

Coach Frank Arsego was pleased with the team effort, citing a growing maturity through the team as basis for the double-header victory, their first wins away.

On Friday night, Dillon Boucher was the individual star, closing down the Pirates' top shooter, Kevin Brooks. In a pressure finish, captain Pero Cameron exerted control and Paul Henare landed a vital three-pointer to seal things.

Point guard Henare's work was also crucial in the win over West Sydney. He got 15 points and three assists and a pat on the back from Arsego.

"Paul Henare was the heart and soul of us - he led us beautifully from out in front," said Arsego.

Early on, Pero Cameron shouldered responsibility to deliver consecutive three-pointers. That allowed the Breakers to make a clean break to 28-23 at the first quarter after the lead had swapped five times. They were 45-37 up at the half and 62-55 ahead with 12 minutes left.

When the Razorbacks took the lead in the late stages it looked as if it was heart-break time again but Chappell's cool experience told.

In the past the team would have panicked, tried too soon and maybe pushed the wrong option, coach Arsego said. But this time they built the shot, went to the right guy (Chappell) and he delivered.

"In our earlier games of the season we would have panicked, we would have tried to rush things," Arsego said after the match. "But I feel we kept the ball long enough to build a bit of pressure and really in the end we finally got the ball to the right player, who was Mike Chappell, and he made a great shot for us."

The Razorbacks started without regular guard Aaron Trahair, who had a back injury, and lost Simon Dwight in the run home after he fouled out.

But they weren't excuses for a last-minute loss in front of a home fans.

There were several reasons for Arsego to be pleased with the weekend returns. The Breakers shot 40 of 83 attempts against Hunter, a 48 per cent success rate that would usually put them in the winning region. Under a heavier defensive hammer on Saturday they managed 28 of 72 shots, the 39 per cent just better than the Razors' 27 of 73 shots, 37 per cent.

There was big improvement from the free-throw line, 14 of 25 sunk on Friday and 20 of 25 on Saturday night.

They out-rebounded the Razors and took five steals to three.

The two wins shift them up a place on the competition ladder to third-last of the 12 teams. There are no injuries. They have four days to regroup before flying back to Melbourne to play the fourth-placed Tigers on Friday night then the seventh-placed Victoria Giants on Saturday.

They host Melbourne at the North Shore Events Centre on December 17 then make the long haul to Perth for their last game before Christmas.