Slam dunk: Barr faces his biggest test

By PETER JESSUP

The big test for American Frank Barr as he trials for the Breakers comes this weekend when Taranaki play the Waikato side that includes Breakers Pero Cameron and Mike Chappell and Aussie centre Geordie Cullen.

It will be the biggest work-over yet for Barr, who has helped the Airs to three wins from the four games he's played with them.

There has been talk that the 2.13m centre/power forward from Philadelphia does not have the imposing physical presence the Breakers need, not least from Airs coach Warren Osborne.

It's clear the Breakers want a big go-to guy to play the inside. The question is whether Barr can front against the physical approach the Aussies bring, elbows and all, and Saturday's game at the Hamilton YMCA should provide a good indication of that.

Barr has averaged 19 points and 12.5 rebounds for Taranaki, plus two shot-blocks a game, which is one dimension where the Breakers are not well-served.

Breakers chief executive Peter Chapman said the American's first two games were less than memorable but his next two had been smart. "He was probably halfway on to the plane home after his two games in Auckland but now he's back. Sunday will be the acid test for him. Obviously our captain [Cameron] will play it pretty hard."

The Breakers' owners, Chapman and coach Frank Arsego, will all be in Hamilton to judge Barr's performance.

Barr said he would stick around to see out the domestic season with Taranaki regardless of the outcome with the Aussie NBL franchise. He's enjoying New Plymouth and rates the team a chance to win all their remaining four games against the Titans, Heat, Hawks and Rams to make the top-four playoffs.

Elsewhere this weekend the Hawks host Canterbury and Auckland are at home to Otago tomorrow night, with the Nuggets backing up over the bridge against Harbour on Saturday while the Rams back up in Palmerston North. Nelson play Wellington in the Sunday game televised on TV2.

The Breakers have made a contract offer to Auckland Stars point guard Lindsay Tait and negotiations are to continue early next week.

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The NBL top-10 player power rankings after 10 of 14 rounds now includes only three New Zealand-born players, Dillon Boucher at three, Pero Cameron at eight and Phill Jones, ninth. Eight of the 10 play in the Aussie NBL.

The list is Geordie Cullen (Titans), Adrian Majstrovich (Hawks), Boucher (Auckland), Link Abrams (Taranaki), David Cooper (Jets), Axel Dench (Heat), Casey Frank (Auckland), Cameron (Titans), Jones (Nelson), and Ben Knite (Saints).

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Basketball New Zealand has confirmed details of tours by the Poland and Korean national women's teams that are the Tall Ferns' first competition in the build-up to the Athens Olympics.

The Poles play the Tall Ferns on June 15 at the Trafalgar Centre, Nelson, and June 16 at Anchor Stadium, Blenheim.

Korea play on June 18 at Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North, and June 19 at TSB Stadium, New Plymouth.

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The Australian NBL salary cap will increase next season from A$700,000 to $736,000, largely to reflect inflation. The figure is still more than quarter of a million below the cap that operated in 2002.