Basketball: Injured Boucher doubtful for clash with Kings

By DAVID LEGGAT


Tall Black Dillon Boucher is in doubt for the New Zealand Breakers' big showdown with defending champions the Sydney Kings at Waitakere.

Boucher, who got offside with Breakers management after a text message incident last week, rolled an ankle at training on Tuesday, coach Frank Arsego said yesterday.

Arsego said it was at the less serious end of the injury scale, "but I think he'll be struggling".

"The swelling's really come up. I think he'll be doubtful for Saturday, but I don't want to confirm that until the doctors have had a look at it in the next two days."

Boucher, a busy defensive player, played little part in the Breakers' winning double header against last season's beaten finalists the West Sydney Razorbacks. He was on court just 15 minutes in the course of the back-to-back games.

His absence is likely to mean more court time for backup men Hayden Allen and Mika Vukona tomorrow night.

The Breakers, now three-and-three in the league and sitting in fifth spot, have already beaten the Kings once this season, 96-94 in round two at Waitakere last month.

On that occasion, the Kings should have been handing over the Bondi Shield, initiated for games between the franchises last season. But they forgot to bring it across the Tasman, perhaps not considering the possibility of defeat.

The Sydney franchise won all three clashes with the Breakers last season but the resurgent Breakers trust it will be in their luggage this weekend.