Basketball: Rebels look to have too much power

By Peter Jessup

Auckland captain Pero Cameron and veteran Kenny Stone are back from injury for the game against the Palmerston North Jets at Unitec tonight, the home team looking to cement their top-four playoff spot.

The Rebels lead the National Basketball League with nine wins from 12 and the return of Cameron (calf strain) and Stone (broken wrist) should ensure they have too much power up front for the visitors.

Jets coach Joe Frost called the northern trip - they have the Kings at the North Shore Events Centre tomorrow - "the road trip from hell."

They are likely to have to do it without the suspended Willie Burton but, with imports Jamie Jenkins third on the league scoring list at an average 25.7 points a game and Ed Book seventh on 21, they will bring plenty of firepower.

Then again, without Cameron and Stone last weekend Auckland's import Scott Benson stepped up to take 41 against Taranaki, equalling the Rebels' all-time high score set by Stone against Nelson in the playoffs in 1996.

Coach Tab Baldwin has also been impressed with the way Haydn Smyth, Daryl Cartwright and Simon Mesritz have filled in for the injured pair and said he would continue to use them, if in a re-evaluated role.

The Rebels have allowed their opposition into the game in early quarters recently then come back late. They should have too much for the Jets throughout.

The Kings will use Canadian Dave Daniels, who they signed last week after sacking Johnny Dadzie, at point guard against the Jets at 4 pm tomorrow. With Kirk Penney in top shooting form, only a lack of combination could cost them against what will be a tired team backing up.

Waikato host Canterbury tomorrow afternoon, sweepstakes running on whether home coach Jeff Green will turn up after a typical outburst.

Green, after his team lost 89-91 to the Kings, reckoned he had had enough.

"Who cares about the game this weekend. It's a nothing game. We'll play but it means zero, we'll take it like a stroll in the park," he said. "Yes, I've spat the dummy. I've got the sulks, I've had enough of the NBL."

But the Waikato Warriors retain a chance of making the playoffs despite a four-from-11 record, and with four games to go the dummy-spitting looks to be all show.

He'll be hoping Otago thump Taranaki and Wellington go down to Nelson in the other games so as to close the gap on the ladder.