Basketball: Arsego concedes play-off hopes at an end

MELBOURNE - A mathematical chance remains, but New Zealand Breakers coach Frank Arsego accepts the odds are now stacked against the cellar-dwelling Australian National Basketball League (ANBL) side.

The Breakers need to win their last eight games -- seven of them on the road -- and rely on other results going their way to squeeze into the play-offs, an assignment surely beyond a franchise currently on a four-match losing streak and a 1-8 away record.

Last night hey lost 98-97 to the Melbourne Tigers.

"We still got the games but the challenge is to win on the road. There haven't been too many teams that have really consistently won on the road," Arsego admitted after witnessing a third heart-wrenching one-point loss.

"The door was slightly open against (eighth-placed) Hunter Pirates (89-103 winners in Auckland on Friday). We need to win games in a hurry and the Hunter have to fall over. "

Realistically Arsego said he may have to be content to make life difficult for teams with top eight aspirations.

"If we can't get to the play-offs our goal is to make life a real bitch for everybody else that wants to go somewhere this season."

A philosophical Arsego admitted last night's reversal to the Melbourne Tigers summed up the season.

"We know we can compete but there was going to be some hard luck stories during the season. Maybe we're one of those teams.

Captain Pero Cameron played only three minutes in the first half and 11 in total for a return of only three points.

Arsego explained the Tall Blacks captain was hampered by an Achilles injury.

"He's not 100 per cent, we've got to nurse him through a few niggling injuries," said Arsego, adding the bulky forward would see more against Brisbane.

"He'll give us some more good service," Arsego said.

- NZPA