Slam dunk: Breakers go for the kill against disorganised opponents

By PETER JESSUP

The Hunter Pirates have sacked coach Bruce Palmer and will name a replacement today to lead them into the game against the Breakers in Newcastle tomorrow.

The Pirates are the only team behind the Breakers on the league ladder, with one win from 10, but the early season struggle for the new franchise is apparently only part of the reason for Palmer's departure.

Behind the announcement that he would be released were some major disagreements with the management.

Palmer had a distinguished playing career after arriving in Australia as an import for the Melbourne Tigers in 1977. He went on to win NBL titles, assisted national teams and coached in Korea and Japan.

The sacking is hardly an ideal build-up to the game and the Breakers, with new import Mike Chappell cleared to play after registration by the NBL, will be going for the kill.

Chappell, 25, comes from Detroit after a distinguished career in NCAA college basketball with the Duke University Blue Devils for two years and with the Michigan State Spartans for three years.

He has had three years in the Australian league, leaving the defunct Canberra Cannons after last season.

Chappell has been playing in a pro-am league in Detroit and responded to the call of Breakers and former Canberra coach Frank Arsego.

The 2.05m small forward/shooting guard averaged 21.3 points in 21 games for Canberra and sank 48 of 116 three-point shots for a 41 per cent average.

Arsego will be looking for Chappell to open opportunities for others, as much as he wants the American to score himself.

Opponents have been closing down Breakers' big guns Ben Melmeth, Pero Cameron and Phill Jones, and it is hoped Chappell's experience and knowledge of players in the NBL will sharpen the attack and harden the defence.

"There's lots of talent here," he said. "They're a great bunch of guys and they're very hungry to win so I think it's going to work out."

Chappell hasn't watched any Breakers' games on video but, from internet scores and analysis, believes them to be competitive.

"I can offer energy and experience, contribute as a leader and hopefully open things up," he said.

The Pirates include Tall Black Miles Pearce, who has been in good form, and Melmeth's younger brother Adam, in his first year in the NBL.

Ben, 28, is 2.08m and Adam, 25, is 2.03m. Their parents will be in the crowd to support both sons.

The Breakers had only one injury concern before this weekend's double-header, a calf bruise to Jones suffered last week, but it has responded well to physiotherapy and he is expected to travel with the team this morning.

The team travel to Penrith on Saturday morning to play the West Sydney Razorbacks that night.

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Taranaki are making a big push to regain the glory of former years and have secured the off-season buy of the year, enticing Saints forward and Tall Black Michael Tompson north.

The 2.02m Tompson will join a strong front line. American-with-residency Link Abrams, who top-scored for the Mountain Airs with a 29-point average last season, has already re-signed.

Also back are fellow American residents Mike Foster and point guard Willie Banks.

The Airs have also lured 1.93m forward Aaron Nowell from Wellington and are in talks with former Tall Black forward Damon Rampton.

Their young brigade, including Ben Van Oosten and Jon and Willie Collins are all secured for another season, and coach Warren Osborne is confident about moving on from their creditable five-win showing of 2003.

"We were written off last season but we made a good start on getting back some of our fan base," Osborne said.

The Airs lost to Auckland by one point, 69-68, and in their last two games were beaten 86-84 by the Hawks and 89-86 by Nelson.

"We won't lose close ones like that next year," Osborne predicted.

Osborne said he wanted to drive a return to the form of the 80s and 90s, when New Plymouth featured regularly in finals.

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Sky television has a deal with Fox to broadcast all Breakers games in Australia live. The cover will start with this weekend's double-header.

Cover of the Pirates game starts on Sky Sport at 9.30pm tomorrow and of the Razorbacks game at 10pm on Saturday.