Basketball: Breakers' road woes continue

CJ Bruton was the only Breaker to reach double figures against the Taipans. Photo / Getty Images

The New Zealand Breakers' inability to win on the road this season continued when they lost 64-77 in an Australian National Basketball League match at Cairns last night.

The loss to the Cairns Taipans was their fifth in a row away, and leaves the Breakers sixth in the table with just five wins from 11 matches.

The Breakers headed to Cairns looking for a third-straight win and a place in the top for four but met opposition desperate to maintain their good home record.

Point guard CJ Bruton, with 10 points, was the only Breaker to reach double-figures after coming to life in the third quarter.

But when Bruton and Oscar Forman fouled out in the fourth quarter the Breakers' hopes were dashed.

With leading scorer Kirk Penney out and their shooting having an off-night, the Breakers were still under 50 points midway through the fourth quarter and only a flurry of baskets by bench players saw them lift their output into the 60s.

The Breakers play Townsville Crocodiles tomorrow night.

Scores: Cairns Taipans 77 (Dusty Rychart 19, Rich Melzer 17, Julien Mills 13) NZ Breakers 64 (CJ Bruton 10). Halftime: 35-23.

- NZPA