KEY POINTS:
The Perth Wildcats put a dent on the New Zealand Breakers play-off chances in the Australian National Basketball League with a 22-point win at the challenge Stadium in Perth tonight.
The home side, backed by a 4000 loud crowd, shot off the blocks and never looked back in their 102-80 win, leading each quarter (30-14, 56-31, 76-59) comfortably.
Coming off a 113-106 midweek win over the Cairns Taipans for a three-match road trip, their top eight chances hangs on a balance after tonight's result.
For Perth the result meant steadying their championship.
Coming off three losses in four games, and without point guard Adam Caporn with a knee injury, the Wildcats were happy to be home after a five-game road trip that had seen them slip to fourth on the ladder.
But after a dominant first half -- where Caporn's stand-in Peter Crawford was the stand-out -- Perth were able to see off a Breakers' revival in the third quarter to move level with the Sydney Kings' 12-6 record.
With Caporn due to go under the knife this week in an effort to resolve the injury in time for the playoffs, Peter Crawford showed he would be a more than able deputy with a season-high 21 points.
Even Perth's perennial points machine Shawn Redhage could not overtake him, finishing with 19, and it was Crawford's early energy that set the tone.
In contrast to Crawford's positive outing, New Zealand's Carlos Powell had a night he would rather forget, being held to just four points before the main break, and finishing with 13 -- less than half his season's average per game.
Although firing up late, the flamboyant Californian spent most of his night arguing with the referees, and also looked to be troubled by a painful right knee at various stages.
Brian Wethers scored 25 points for the Breakers followed by Ben Pepper with 14, Powell with 13 and Aaron Olson 10.
Perth Wildcats 102 (Peter Crawford 21, Shawn Redhage 19, Paul Rogers 18), New Zealand Breakers 80 (Brian Wethers 25, Ben Pepper 14, Carlos Powell 13).
- NZPA
