Basketball: Titans' imports produce the goods

The Waikato Titans have been well-served by their imported players this season.

They put NBL Player of the Week Mike Bauer on a plane back to the United States just two days after his award-winning performance against Wellington Saints.
The fill-in import tormented the Saints, scoring 28 points and taking down 16 rebounds in the Titans' 96-77 home win, many of his points coming off breakaway dunks.

When Bauer was signed last month, the Titans made it clear his stay was only temporary until incumbent Greg Lewis' broken wrist had healed. Lewis will take the court on Friday in Waikato's home game against the Bay Hawks at Te Awamutu.

Lambert double-ton

Manawatu Jets guard Stacey Lambert brings up a personal milestone on Saturday when his team take on the Otago Nuggets in Dunedin.

It will be his 200th NBL appearance and fittingly, it occurs in a game between the two teams he has represented since debuting for the Jets in 1995.

Over 11 seasons, the former Junior Tall Black has averaged 12.0 points (42 per cent FG, 73 per cent FT, 36.6 per cent 3pt), 3.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals. Lambert, 29, is just the fourth current Jets player to reach the 200-game mark.

Earlier this season, team-mate Kent Mori set a league record for games by a New Zealander and now has 316 under his belt.

Veteran guard Tyrone Brown, 44, has played 260 games, and forward Daryl June has 220.

Otago dark horses

While their men's team are at the foot of the NBL table, the Otago women's side are looming as dark-horse challengers for the national league title.

American Laura Spanheimer was Player of the Week after her 28 points, five rebounds, five steals, four assists and a block in the Breakers' 71-67 home win over previous league leaders Harbour Breeze on Saturday.

The WNBL shaped up as a two-horse race between Harbour and defending champions Canterbury Wildcats through the early rounds, but the Breakers' win over the Breeze suggests they will also be a force come semifinal time.

Without Spanheimer, they suffered a 53-point road defeat to the Cats in their season opener, but have improved every week since her arrival.

Otago's prospects will only improve if, as expected, they pick up the services of Tall Fern rebounding ace Donna Loffhagen once her National Bank Cup netball commitments end.

Terei gets call-up

Harbour guard Chelsea Terei has been called in as a late replacement for the Tall Fern camp at Lower Hutt this weekend.

The Junior Tall Fern replaces Olympic captain Leanne Walker, who has a back injury, and former Portland State University guard Jane Gowans, who is pursuing a police career.

After the camp, coach Mike McHugh will name 12 players to contest the William Jones Cup tournament in Taiwan, July 15-22.