Basketball: Points to be proved on court

By PETER JESSUP

There are plenty of basketballers with much to prove as the national league returns after the Queen's Birthday weekend break which allowed Tall Blacks coach Keith Mair time to hone his Olympic squad.

The Tall Blacks have all returned from camp in Nelson to play for their sides this weekend before regathering on Monday for departure to a Sydney pre-Olympic tournament.

Those cut from the train-on squad, those that did not make it and a couple of squad incumbents who will face increased pressure for their place when other players return from injury, all have a real incentive to drive hard to show their worth in this round of games.

Waikato host Wellington and Auckland are at home to the Palmerston Jets tonight.

The Wellington Saints will be looking to shut down a strong home-team three-point scoring ability, while Auckland will seek a big improvement to their defence after they were shattered in Nelson in their last game.

Waikato's Chris Tupu is considered lucky by many to have made the tournament team given his lack of height and he will be looking to silence the critics with good shots.

The Saints' Peter Pokai represents Mair's penchant for age and experience at the expense of talented new blood and likewise needs to show he is worth an Olympic spot.

Auckland go to North Harbour tomorrow in what looks like being a round-defining game, but the Rebels' coach, Tab Baldwin, was warning them not to focus on that match ahead of the encounter with the Jets tonight.

"We've probably spent 75 per cent of our practice time since the loss to Nelson trying to get our defensive philosophies applied consistently by the team," Baldwin said, indicating that he was also looking for some more variation in the attack.

The Jets have averaged better than 105 points a game this season, with Auckland setting a barrier at 100 but conceding more than that in their most recent games.

Tall Blacks captain Pero Cameron will play despite an ankle knock that bothered him in the training camp, while Daryl Cartwright has resumed training with the team as he recovers from a broken hand.

Harbour's shooting star, Kirk Penney, will be looking to step up from a disappointing, jet-lagged first performance and his scoring ability will be vital at the North Shore Events Centre tomorrow.

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