KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand Breakers' next two home matches and the fitness of key forward Tony Ronaldson are crucial to their Australian National Basketball League playoff chances after a second consecutive defeat.
The Breakers lost 112-98 to second-placed Melbourne Tigers in Melbourne on Saturday night, leaving them with a 12-12 win-loss record but still safely holding eighth place, inside the playoff zone.
Former Australian international Ronaldson missed a second match with an achilles tendon strain and remains in doubt for Thursday's home game against the 10th-placed West Sydney Razorbacks.
"Just the experience and sense of calmness that he brings is hard to replace," coach Andrej Lemanis said.
"He's got to rest the injury for as long as it takes and he'd only be 50-50 for the next game. It's not too serious, just frustrating."
The Breakers' main chasers, Adelaide and West Sydney, both lost to top-four sides Perth and Sydney.
If the Breakers can nail their three remaining home matches against the Razorbacks, Perth Wildcats on January 31 and Melbourne Tigers on February 7 they should be comfortably home for their first ANBL playoff appearance since admission to the league in 2003.
"Our destiny is in our hands this time, unlike the past two seasons."
Lemanis rued a poor first half last night from which the team couldn't recover, dropping their away record to 4-8 this season.
In the second quarter the Tigers outscored the visitors 30-12 to race to a 26-point lead at halftime.
The hosts punished the Breakers' miscues, scoring 17 points from New Zealand turnovers, connecting with 26 of 42 shots from the floor in the half and forcing 11 turnovers at the defensive end.
"In the first half we gave up too many layups, too many second shots," Lemanis said. "We had nine turnovers in the second quarter and they scored 17 points off them. The second half was playoff intensity and we showed we can more than compete with a team like that."
The Breakers got within 10 points of the Tigers in the final quarter but never threatened an upset.
Again, Tall Blacks Kirk Penney did the bulk of the scoring, with 27 points while imported centre Derrick Alston scored 21 points and hauled in nine rebounds.
Penney led the fightback, scoring 17 of the Breakers' 32 points in the third quarter.
Imported point guard Orien Greene will require dental work this week after losing a tooth while contesting for the ball, Lemanis said.
Australian Boomers giant Chris Anstey continued to show why he is the favourite to win the ANBL's most valuable player award, dominating inside with 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Tigers.
New Tigers import Sean Lampley also impressed, with 22 points and seven rebounds.
"The first half was the best half we played all year," Tigers coach Al Westover said.
- NZPA
