Basketball: Stars free Tait to tour in China

The Auckland Stars management and coach Kenny Stone have freed game-runner Lindsay Tait to tour China with the Breakers.

The trip will allow the 22-year-old point guard to showcase his talents for new Breakers coach Andrej Lemanis, in Australia last week continuing player negotiations.

And Harbour Heat have signed Breakers triallist Brent Charleton and another Canadian Kiwi, Tony Richter, a 193cm power forward.

Tait will play the first three of six games in China this month, missing the Stars' clashes with title contenders Waikato and Wellington.

Stars point guard Aaron Olson, who is already contracted to the Breakers for the coming season starting in October, will play in all six games on the China tour. He also misses a match against the Jets and will go straight to Hawkes Bay to play the Hawks on May 8.

Stone said the decision was made in response to a request from Tait and in the interests of the point guard and New Zealand basketball.

"It was a tough decision.

"As a coach you want to be selfish but if this helps Lindsay secure a contract that keeps him in New Zealand then we benefit too. If it helps him become a better player it works out for all of us."

The makeshift Breakers squad, with three Americans trialling for spots, play the Melbourne Tigers, a Chinese league team and a South Korean team in two four-way tournaments in two cities.

The Stars shifted up the NBL at the weekend with a 95-90 win over the Jets to back up the one-pointer last Wednesday over North Harbour.

But for Stone there is concern at continued slow starts - Auckland were behind 40-51 at halftime at Trusts Stadium.

"Wednesday night showed that when we apply pressure we get the points. But we came out flat on Wednesday and we were flat again on Friday night through the whole of the first half.

"At three-quarter time I told them they'd given themselves 10 minutes to win the game. It's nice to be able to go out and do that but disappointing that we can't maintain consistency of effort throughout the game."

Tait top-scored against the Jets as he did against Harbour, with 25 points including four of six three-shot attempts.

Casey Frank was good again with 15 and import Kereem Johnson returned 14. The Jets' Stacey Lambert scored 18 of his 24 in the first half and sunk four of five three-shots. Mike Coleman scored 20.

The Canterbury Rams also have a five-win, two-loss record and are equal with the Stars on competition points but behind on points differential after they fell 66-81 at home to Waikato on Saturday.

They were out-scored 28-10 in the last quarter as Titans imports Greg Lewis and Kantrail Horton each scored 25 points.

The Heat had been leading the competition but dropped 82-95 to the Jets at the North Shore Events Centre on Saturday night, despite Hayden Allen top-scoring with 33.

Jets import Coleman was successful with five of six three-shots in making 26 and also took 10 rebounds. Adelaide's David Cooper shot 20 for the visitors.

Harbour were without Prem Krishna, who has a hamstring injury and is another week away, and Valance McCarthy, who is nearly recovered from a car accident.
They will be bolstered by the signing of Charleton who top-scored in the Canadian college league. He flies from Canada to China then will carry on to Auckland, he and Tony Richter arriving in time for the Heat's round nine double-header against Nelson then Taranaki.

The Airs beat the Giants 75-68 in Nelson at the weekend with Taranaki's back court running free, Willie Banks top-scoring with 19 and Brad Davidson 18. Giants import Jacob Holmes led his side with 23.