Basketball: Taipans beat Breakers in Cairns

Cairns won the battle of the Australian National Basketball League cellar-dwellers with a 100-86 home win over the New Zealand Breakers tonight.

The Taipans led at every change, ruining any hope New Zealand import Marcus Timmons had of exacting revenge over the club that sacked him only two weeks ago.

The Taipans got a strong performance from their only remaining import, centre Chris Burgess, who completed what has now become almost a routine double double with 30 points and 18 boards.

He was well supported by fellow big man Tony Rampton with 16 points and point guard Nathan Crosswell with 14.

New Zealand's best was Aaron Olsen with 19 points, while Ben Pepper with 18 and Lindsay Tait with 15 were also double figure scorers.

Cairns jumped out to a six-point lead at quarter time (29-23), and then built on the margin in the second term to take a 14-point lead into the main break (49-35).

New Zealand closed the gap to ten at the last break (73-63), before the home side pulled away again to win by 14.

The result leaves both sides with six wins, with the Taipans still last courtesy of their 12 losses compared to New Zealand's ten.

Cairns Taipans 100 (C Burgess 30, T Rampton 16 and N Crosswell 14)

New Zealand Breakers 86 (A Olsen 19, B Pepper 18 and L Tait 15)

- AAP