Baketball: Breakers end losing streak

SYDNEY - A last quarter three-point blitz by captain Pero Cameron propelled the New Zealand Breakers to a morale-boosting 106-92 defeat of fellow Australian National Basketball League (ANBL) strugglers West Sydney at the Whitlam Centre here tonight.

Cameron hit the target from an identical position three times within a minute to give the cellar-dwellers an impregnable buffer in the home stretch -- gifting the Breakers only their second win in 12 games on the road this season.

The injury-hampered forward's treble pushed the Breakers out of range at 87-76 with nine minutes remaining to give the Breakers some consolation after they were on the brink of setting a new franchise record for consecutive losses.

Without a win in six games since a January 2 defeat of the Perth Wildcats and missing forward Ben Pepper to an ankle injury, the 8-19 Breakers overcame a slow start to gradually reel in last year's beaten finalists who now find themselves on a a six-match losing streak.

Cameron also hauled in some crucial defensive rebounds as the Razorbacks struggled to close the gap.

So often dependent on Mike Chappell to provide the offensive impetus the Breakers spread the scoring around liberally with six players notching double figures.

Chappell, who scored a season high 32 against the Melbourne Tigers in the opening leg of the four-match road trip last Sunday, was still prominent with a game high 24.

The American had only banked four points by halftime but then found his range and dominated the scoring after the main break.

Guard Aaron Olson weighed in with 23.

Trailing by eight after the first quarter the Breakers recovered to lead by one at halftime and extended their advantage to five at 76-71 entering the home stretch.

Pepper missed the clash after spraining an ankle against the Hunter Pirates last night.

The Breakers, who need to win their last five games and rely on other results, head home tomorrow and next play the Townsville Crocodiles on February 9 in Auckland before heading across the Tasman for the return leg three days later.

They back up the following night against Cairns Taipans and then complete their season with a double header in Perth.

New Zealand Breakers 106 (Mike Chappell 24, Aaron Olson 23, Pero Cameron 13, Dillon Boucher 11, Marcus Timmons, Lindsay Tait 10)

West Sydney Razorbacks 92 (Simon Dwight 23, Scott McGregor 17, Sam McKinnon 15).

Halftime: 48-47.

- NZPA