Slam dunk: Pero Cameron finally shakes off two-year injury

By PETER JESSUP

Pero Cameron has finally overcome the calf injury that has troubled him for the past two years.

"I've forgotten about it," he said yesterday.

That's half true. He still has physiotherapy once a week to strengthen the right leg muscles that have troubled him.

"I know there's a bigger work-load coming so I want it to be as strong as it can be," he said.

Cameron has carried the injury while playing with four teams over the past two years: consecutive seasons in England with Chester Jets, then the Waikato Titans, Tall Blacks and Breakers. It's unlikely he'll get a rest until the end of the 2004-05 Breakers season and, if they make playoffs, it won't be a long one.

This week he's been taking coaching clinics in Opotiki.

This weekend he faces his old side, the Auckland Stars, who have four of his Breakers team-mates.

Cameron wants to win not just for the two competition points but for the preparation for the big games to come in playoffs.

It was a tough competition this year, with more Aussies and an even spread of talent around the league, he said.

"Each of the Australians has brought something different, they've been a positive influence. But you can tell how tough it is because none of them has stood out all season."

The Aussie coaches had added an edge, he said. It was good to see the New Zealand coaches get the benefit of that, but he hoped the locals would eventually step up rather than be stepped on.

The Titans-Stars game at Te Awamutu on Sunday is the televised game that afternoon.

Harbour Heat played the Hawkes Bay Hawks overnight and meet Manawatu tonight.

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The Hawks did not go ahead with their stated intention to protest the result of the 106-107 overtime loss to Nelson Giants at the weekend. The NBL general manager must receive full details of any protest and a $300 deposit to initiate appeal proceedings, but neither was forthcoming.

Forward Adrian Majstrovich has signed a two-year extension to his contract with the Hawks.

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Basketball New Zealand holds its annual coaches' forum at the Poenamo Hotel on the North Shore this weekend, with speakers including the Tall Blacks' Tab Baldwin and new Tall Ferns coach Tom Maher.

The Ferns go into camp on the Shore this weekend and train at the Events Centre, YMCA and Rangitoto College.

Basketball New Zealand is expected to confirm details within the week of internal tours by Korea and Poland in advance of Athens. Tall Blacks back stadium Tall Blacks, from the present day back to those who played in the 1950s, are expected in Wellington today to lobby in favour of Wellington City Council's $35 million plan for a four-court indoor stadium attached to the Cake Tin.

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The Breakers' first-season centre, Ben Melmeth, has signed with the Hunter Pirates. Melmeth, 28, came originally from Newcastle and played for the city's Falcons before the Sydney Kings, then the Auckland team.

The Perth Wildcats have signed 247-game player Scott Fisher as their coach for the next two seasons.

The Cairns Taipans have reappointed coach John Dorge and assistant Aatron Fearne.