Basketball: Breakers welcome Singapore fixtures

The Breakers will be playing two games in Singapore in the new ANBL season after the Australian governing body yesterday approved the transfer of the licence from the failed Hunter Pirates club to Asia.

The Auckland club sees the move as a good opportunity to expand television and sponsorship rights and income, as does the league.

The ANBL is yet to work through details of who qualifies as a local and who will be classified as an import, but New Zealand and Australian players will be open to opt for the new franchise.

Meanwhile the Breakers are about to confirm they will be keeping six of last season's line-up. Centre Ben Pepper is already signed and the Auckland franchise this week sent the ANBL a further five contracts for registration.

Last night the ANBL gave approval to deals with captain Paul Henare, shooting guard Aaron Olson, local forward Mika Vukona, Australian Tim Behrendorff and American forward Rich Melzer.

It's understood negotiations continue with bench players Ben Thompson at guard and forward AJ Majstrovich. And also that those two will be the only Breakers named on the free-agent list when it is released today.

The club is seeking an import forward to replace Brian Green and a point guard back-up for Henare after Lindsay Tait's departure. Talks had been held with Derek Rucker after the Brisbane Bullets said they would not be re-signing him, but injury issues clouded the progression of a deal.

Meanwhile their first-season player - and lately basketball development officer - Blake Truslove has met the residency requirements of the domestic league and is believed to be signing with the Waikato Titans.