Basketball: Melmeth's return boost for Breakers

By PETER JESSUP

The return of 2.08m centre Ben Melmeth means the Breakers will have their first-choice starting line-up on the court for the first time this season when the side meet the West Sydney Razorbacks on Saturday.

Melmeth will add options to the offence and take pressure off sharp-shooter Phill Jones - and his mere presence should lift the rest of the team.

The Breakers need to start stringing some wins if they are to remain a playoff chance, and captain Pero Cameron frankly acknowledged after training yesterday that the whole squad had to pull their socks up, himself included.

He felt confident they would do that.

"Everyone will be back in their normal positions this weekend - that's going to make us a lot more comfortable," Cameron said.

The front line has been constantly disrupted to cover for injuries to himself then Melmeth.

The Australian centre, who has 60 internationals for the Boomers, predicted he would be "huffing and puffing" during the game at the North Shore Events Centre on Saturday afternoon, lacking match fitness.

The calcification of a bruise on his quad muscle had required four weeks of complete rest - no running, no bike and no kicking when he was swimming.

He would run as many minutes as the coach wanted and was looking for plenty of time. But he didn't feel pressure to perform or to turn around the 20 per cent win-loss ratio.

"My expectation is to go out and have some fun," Melmeth said.

He was looking forward to playing with Cameron, having only played against him in tests.

Melmeth pinpointed several reasons why the team had not been succeeding. They were was taking time to adjust to the Australian league, which was more physical - the domestic league allowed players to have up-and-down games, the Australian NBL did not.

He also said the Breakers had to learn to execute their shots better under pressure, and they had to think more when tired, rather than fold.

"We've been taking the wrong shots, and shots are not dropping because we're tiring."

He has been an interested observer and has added his tips to the coaches'. He felt that he and Cameron did have a responsibility to push the others.

And there is hope.

"The intensity of practices has increased since I was put out - it's chalk and cheese. They're smarter, better practices."

If he could pinpoint one thing that could lift the Breakers immediately, he said, it was dropping their free-throw shots.

"The guys have been rushing," was coach Jeff Green's reason for the low percentage from the foul line. They had worked on mental strategies as well as simple repeat shots.

Melmeth's return does not mean the end for American Samoan centre Iona Enosa, who was drafted in to replace him temporarily.

The Breakers' management is negotiating with the NBL to have him included in its squad for the season, as an import.

The three Australians are not considered imports, but whether the other teams in the league will wear that is yet to be determined.

The Razorbacks are playing without an import. They have plenty of size and experience, with Boomer Sam MacKinnon leading and a swag of players who have competed at the world junior championships.

Coach Gordon McLeod has been with the franchise since it entered the league in 1998 and they were winners last year.

They come to Auckland on the back of three wins, over Victoria Giants, the Adelaide 36ers and Hunter Pirates.