Basketball: Breakers on a mission to tame Perth Wildcats

Former Breakers' forward Shawn Redhage is averaging 26.3 points a game. File picture / Richard Robinson

The Breakers will need to push their 100-game milestone into the background for a while tonight as they attempt to wipe the snarls off the faces of Aussie NBL high-flyers, the Perth Wildcats.

Sitting pretty at the top of the ladder after equalling their best start in league history, the Moggies will square off against the Breakers in a confident frame of mind, having already accounted for Singapore (twice), Adelaide and Townsville.

Perth and former Breakers' forward Shawn Redhage is averaging 26.3 points a game, centre Paul Rogers features prominently in most categories, and American guard Darren Brooks leads the league in three-point shooting.

The Arizona State-tutored Redhage was particularly impressive against the Crocs last week, scoring 37 points and grabbing nine boards, and Brooks drained four three-pointers in a 24-point haul.

League commentators have described the match-up between Redhage and Rogers and the Breakers' Carlos Powell and centre Ben Pepper, as a likely key ingredient in the final result.

The Breakers will begin their 100th league game with a 1-1 record following last Thursday's loss to the Kings, and with an understandably-strong desire to do better tonight, not least to celebrate the longevity of Paul Henare and Aaron Olson.

The backcourt pair have been involved in all 99 Breakers game since the maiden outing back in 2003, when Olson nailed 20 points against the Adelaide 36ers.

More importantly, however, a win would be just the tonic for the Breakers as they eye a difficult week ahead; a doubleheader on the road against the West Sydney Razorbacks (Saturday), and the Woollongong Hawks (Monday), and then a Wednesday night home game against the Brisbane Bullets.

Breakers' coach Andrej Lemanis acknowledged the difficulties of the draw, not least in terms of updating opposition scouting reports, but - as always - was able to find a silver-lining.

"Looking at it positively, it's an opportunity to really strengthen your position within the championship and if you do well you're starting to assert yourself on the table.

"I also know the guys would prefer to be playing than squaring off against each other time and again on the training court."

The Breakers will again call on a full-strength roster tonight.

NZ BREAKERS V PERTH WILDCATS

* Trusts Stadium, 7.15pm today

Breakers: Paul Henare, Brian Wethers, Oscar Forman, Carlos Powell, Ben Pepper, Aaron Olson, Mika Vukona, Tim Behrendorff, Adam Darragh, Brent Charleton.

Wildcats: Adam Caporn, Darren Brooks, Shawn Redhage, Tony Ronaldson, Paul Rogers, Peter Crawford, Justin Brown, Ben Hunt, Jeff Dowdell, Brad Robbins.