Basketball: Tigers capture NBL title

Remember that basketball competition that the Breakers were in? Oh yes, the Australian National Basketball League (NBL).

Well, the fat lady sang a whole long time ago for the hapless NZ-based franchise, but for the teams at the other end of the points table - the ones at the top, in other words - last night saw the 2005/6 season championship decided in Sydney.

And visitors to town the Melbourne Tigers won their first NBL crown in nine years, defeating the Sydney Kings 88-83 in game three of the best-of-five grand final series.

It is the Tigers' third NBL title - although nine years is a long time between drinks - and it ends the reign of the Kings, who have won the past three championships.

Playing in front of a vocal Sydney Entertainment Centre crowd, the Tigers trailed Sydney by six points at half-time (47-41) but the visitors showed impressive composure to fight back in the final two quarters.

They led 66-65 at three-quarter time before producing a 22-point final term to clinch the victory.

Chris Anstey led by example for the Tigers to score 16 points and post 10 rebounds.

He was given valuable assistance by Dave Thomas and Darryl McDonald, who both scored 13 points.

Kings captain Jason Smith tried valiantly to push the grand final series into a fourth game, recording a game-high 20 points.

CJ Bruton was also amongst the points for Sydney, compiling a 15-point haul.

- RADIO AUSTRALIA, additional reporting by Herald Online staff