Basketball: Arsego gives Crocs match some bite

The New Zealand Breakers should know tonight how much they've learnt in the Australian National Basketball League in recent weeks.

They face the Townsville Crocodiles in Townsville in a match coach Frank Arsego believes may define their season.

"We have to maximise what we've achieved in December with a win," he said.

"If we can finish December with a 5-3 record, we'll have set ourselves up nicely for the last two months of the regular season and a real shot at a playoff spot.

"We talked about this after the Sydney Kings game and the players know that 4-4 won't cut it.

"Our three-match series against Townsville could be the key to our season - that and the two home games we have against Perth."

Arsego said the Breakers (6-13) needed to show they had learnt from the 98-86 defeat by the Perth Wildcats in Perth on December 20 if they wanted to succeed in enemy territory tonight.

"It's the same thing all over again - we have to overcome a desperate home team in a packed and noisy stadium.

"The question we have to answer is have we stepped up since then?

"We need to match their urgency. In fact, we have to be more desperate than them."

The Crocs (5-12) made the playoffs last season on the back of a 16-match unbeaten run after a tardy start and have indicated in recent weeks they still have the potential to hit top form.

They hammered the Melbourne Tigers 115-83 in Melbourne on Monday night to keep their playoff hopes alive, with veteran Robert Rose leading the way.

Rose, 39, shot five three-pointers from seven as he led all scorers with 27 points.

He got excellent support from forwards Pat Reidy (20 points), and import Carlos Daniel (12 rebounds and 11 points) as the Crocs shot 50 per cent from beyond the arc.

Arsego said his players would need to overcome an experienced side and had to improve offensively from the 93-83 loss to the Kings.

"We've been working hard since Saturday night to find that and I think we'll see a big improvement against the Crocs.

Classy import Mike Chappell continues to lead the Breakers' attack, averaging 21.9 points a game since his recent arrival.

Skipper Pero Cameron and guard Aaron Olson struggled to find the basket against the Kings, but should bounce back quickly against the Crocs, while Ben Melmeth continues to be a crucial figure in the paint for the Breakers.

Breakers: Pero Cameron (captain), Ben Melmeth (vice captain), Paul Henare, Aaron Olson, Phill Jones, Mike Chappell, Paora Winitana, Dillon Boucher, Iona Enosa, Blake Truslove.

Townsville Crocodiles: Robert Rose, Jeremy Veal, Kelvin Robertson, Mike Kelly, Peter Crawford, Andrew Goodwin, Pat Reidy, Carlos Daniel, Cameron Tragardh, Greg Vanderjagt.

- NZPA