Basketball: Breakers expect Crocs to tweak draw

Kirk Penney of the New Zealand Breakers. Photo / Sarah Ivey

They've stopped short of accusing the Crocodiles of out-and-out skulduggery but the Breakers fully expect to be facing Perth in the ANBL semifinal series that tips off on the North Shore next Thursday.

Who the first-placed Breakers meet depends on the outcome of tonight's match between the Crocs and Taipans in Cairns. If the second-placed Crocs win, their prize will be a match-up with the Wildcats - and the cross-continental journey that comes with it - while the Breakers would face Cairns. If the Crocs lose they will face a North Queensland derby against Taipans - a match-up both clubs are widely believed to view as more favourable - and the Breakers will play Perth.

The prospect of a result manipulated to tweak the playoff draw in a club's favour does not bother the Breakers. "To be honest it is probably the smart thing to do," point guard Paul Henare said. "You never go into a game wanting to lose it but the smart thing says that instead of going all the way over to Perth for game two and all the way back possibly for game three, you go up the road and save your legs. "Who knows what their mentality will be, but I feel we will be playing Perth."

Coach Andrej Lemanis did not think the Taipans would straight-out tank the match, but there was nothing to stop the club fielding a weakened side.

"What I've heard is that they are resting players," Lemanis said.

"That is one way of doing it.

"It is probably the smart play but, having said that, I have seen it done before in this league and it has always come back to bite the team on the arse that has done it. We've got no problems playing Perth. "We enjoy playing Perth ..."

The 21-6 Breakers round out their regular season with a trip to Melbourne tomorrow night.