SYDNEY - New Zealand Breakers coach Jeff Green praised his team for a tenacious fightback, but believes the 84-73 Australian NBL loss to the Cairns Taipans may come back to haunt the new franchise.
The Breakers rallied from 22 points to close to within one of the Taipans before foul troublecrippled their resurgence in front of 5332 fans at the Cairns Convention Centre.
"This was one that got away . . . we were capable of winning it," Green said.
Crucial turnovers contributed to the Breakers' first loss in the league and they were also on the wrong end of the foul count.
They exploded out of the blocks, as they did against Adelaide at home on Wednesday night, and led 9-0 before falling foul of officialdom.
Top-scorer Ben Melmeth picked up three fouls in the first five minutes, requiring him to sit out almost all the first half.
The Taipans led 42-34 at the break and stretched the margin to 22 four minutes from the end of the third quarter.
Determined not to cop a pasting, the Breakers regrouped and were on course for an unlikely victory until Melmeth was fouled out in the final quarter.
The Taipans then took control and netted some crucial baskets as the clock wound down to hold on comfortably.
"It was a real good effort, but we want to pursue high standards and I think later in the season we'll look back and say we should have got out with two points," Green said.
Melmeth and Casey Frank led the scoring for the Breakers with 16 points apiece. The pair also grabbed nine rebounds as the Breakers out-rebounded the big Cairns side 40-34 - including 17 offensive boards to eight.
However, the side struggled from three-point range, converting just three of 16 attempts while the Taipans made seven from 19.
American import Marcus Timmons led the Taipans' scoring with 21 points and guard Anthony Stewart added 17, but Tall Blacks centre Tony Rampton was kept quiet with just five points in 26 minutes of court time.
The Breakers' next game is against the Wollongong Hawks in Wollongong on Saturday.
