Basketball: Rebounds key to beating Perth, says Boucher

Breakers forward Dillon Boucher. Photo / Kenny Rodger

The New Zealand Breakers are targeting an improved rebounding performance in Auckland tomorrow night as they look to bounce back from a tough loss in the Australian National Basketball League.

The Breakers host competition leaders Perth a week after being pipped by Wollongong 93-91 at home after having led for most of the match.

Forward Dillon Boucher said the biggest lesson from that defeat, which left the Breakers in fifth spot with a 50 per cent record, came from the opposition's dominance on the boards.

"We got hurt on the rebounds and anytime you allow a team to get 50 per cent of their offensive rebounds, it's going to be a long night," he said.

"Again, we probably should have won that game, but when you look at the rebound count it was hard to believe that we nearly did win."

The Breakers were aware they would have to improve their competitiveness on the boards against the Wildcats, who have two of the league's leading rebounders in former Breaker Shawn Redhage and Luke Schenscher.

"They have some good rebounders and they're very active," Boucher said of his former club.

"It's one area we have to take care of, or it's going to be a long night again."

With each team in the eight-franchise league playing the others four times in the regular season, the Breakers and the Wildcats are at 1-1 in their series with home advantage prevailing on both occasions.

Series victories could prove vital ahead of the playoffs as head-to-head record is one of the tiebreakers used for separating teams who finish with the same win-loss percentage.

"Obviously the last game will be in Perth and it's going to be a tough battle against them there," Boucher said.

"So we see this as a must-win, for going ahead in the series and for taking us further up the ladder as well."

In addition to his ability on the boards, Redhage is the Wildcats' top scorer with an average of 16.9 points in his 13 games.

That puts him in the league's top 10 in a category headed by Breaker Kirk Penney, with a 22.2 average from five appearances.

Boucher himself leads two other categories - including field goal percentage, where his 61.1 per cent success rate has brought him 60 points - and he also features in the top 10 for steals and assists.

"It's obviously a great personal milestone anytime you're in the top 10 of the league in any category," he said.

"But for me it comes down to what I can do out there for my teammates. If being in the top 10 means I'm helping my team-mates and making this team go forward, that's great."

Mention of the other category that Boucher leads brings a wry smile to his face.

His average of 3.8 fouls a game is the highest in the league, with fellow Breaker Oscar Foreman occupying second spot with 3.6.

"We're both conscious of it and we're both trying to bring them down, but with the style of game we play it just comes with the territory, I guess," he said.

"It's not an area of concern unless I'm fouled out and the coach can't put me on. I figure you're given five fouls and you push the line as far as you can without hurting the team."

- NZPA