Basketball: Coach expects the best from his full-strength Waikato side

By PETER JESSUP

Tall Blacks captain Pero Cameron has recovered from the calf injury that hampered him in the series against Hungary and is ready for a big run into and through the national league finals.

His Waikato side will be looking for revenge for a road loss, momentum as they go into finals, and the best possible shot at a home semi when they host Otago today.

The latter will partly be determined by the result of the earlier Rams-Giants game. The Christchurch side have 22 points and visitors Nelson and the Waikato Titans are tied on 20 as all go to the last of 15 rounds.

So the Rams will host one semifinal next weekend, Waikato or Nelson the other.

Titans coach Jeff Green is expecting a huge game from Cameron in Hamilton today.

"He's like a racehorse, he's wanting work. At practice he was angry that I kept subbing him out. He needs to get a good run into the semis and he's been absolutely itching to get out there," Green said. He will run the side who demolished North Harbour last weekend against the Nuggets, and expects them to win by 10 to 15 points.

"That's how much better we are than most of the teams in the league when we've got our full squad on the court, and last weekend was the first time that's happened this season," Green said. "What's surprised me is the drive and commitment from the veterans - Pero, Riki Strother, Dillon Boucher, David Hopoi - those guys have a lot of championships between them but they really want another one. If we have to win it away from home it will make it that much sweeter."

Shut down Americans Kenny Perkins and Ron O'Grady and the Titans will be all but home. Otago are better at home than away.

The Rams-Giants game is on TV One at 3.30pm, Canterbury coach John Watson bringing venom to the game with his quote: "We hate Nelson - we enjoy beating them more than any other team in the league."

It was Tall Blacks Ed Book and Phill Jones who killed them in Nelson, and Watson will obviously plot against similar damage, but Nelson have strength all round, a stronger bench perhaps giving them the edge.

Auckland and the Jets will determine the fourth finals contender when they meet in Palmerston North tonight.