Basketball: Record Chappell haul leads Breakers to victory over Wildcats

BREAKERS 104 WILDCATS 97

A season-high 44-point haul from American import Mike Chappell kept the New Zealand Breakers' basketball playoff hopes alive with a 104-97 win over Perth Wildcats in Christchurch tonight.

The Michigan State University product singlehandedly helped the Breakers move up a place to 10th on the Australian National Basketball League table.

It was the Breakers' ninth win from 27 matches this season and kept them in with an outside chance for the top-eight playoffs.

The hosts started poorly and trailed 21-32 at quarter time before hauling Perth back to a narrow 51-54 lead at halftime.

Perth went on a 10-0 run early in the third quarter and appeared in control when Breakers forward Dillon Boucher was handed a disqualifying foul and sent off for striking a Perth player from behind.

Chappell though, who was in trouble with his fourth foul soon after halftime, scored 29 points in the second half including back to back threepointers which saw the hosts claim the lead 90-87 with six minutes left.

The Breakers' success rate from three-point range was far superior, with 52 per cent to Perth's 30 per cent.

Breakers guard Paul Henare chimed in with 17 points while Ricky Grace led the Perth scoring with 25 points.

The teams have a rematch on Friday night in North Shore.

NZ Breakers 104 (Mike Chappell 44, Paul Henare 17, Pero Cameron 13)

Perth Wildcats 97 (Ricky Grace 23, Rashad Tucker 19, Tony Ronaldson 12, Matthew Burston 12).

Halftime: 54-51.

- NZPA