Basketball: Melbourne Tigers wary of resurgent Breakers

3.00pm


SYDNEY - The Melbourne Tigers will be wary about the resurgent New Zealand Breakers in their basketball clash tonight, says Tigers import forward Dave Thomas.

The 203cm Canadian national representative says the Tigers will take no notice of their 108-97 win against the Breakers early in the Australian National Basketball League season in late October.

"They didn't have Pero Cameron, Ben Melmeth or Mike Chappell that night," Thomas said last night.

Chappell is a player Thomas knows well. They were roommates when members of the United States national college championship-winning Michigan State University side and also teamed up for the Canberra Cannons last year.

"He can both shoot the three-point balls and take it to the hole, which is a deadly combination," Thomas said.

"We are taking them very seriously. We know they are coming off two wins last week and that we will have to be sharp."

Thomas has been pleased with his own form, which has seen him average in double figures for both goals and rebounds this season.

The Tigers are fourth on the ANBL ladder and have been boosted by news that forward Stephen Hoare will be back in action after being sidelined for five games with a foot tendon injury.

Neil Mottram is another returning from injury and will be on the bench tonight.

The Breakers doubled their number of wins for the season with victories over the Hunter Pirates and West Sydney Razorbacks last weekend and will be aiming for another triumphant double-header in Australia this weekend.

They play the Victoria Giants on Saturday night.

- NZPA