Basketball: Cameron open to offers in ANBL as likely free agent

Pero Cameron

The Australian NBL free-agent list comes out this weekend and expect Breakers captain Pero Cameron's name to be on it.

Cameron and other key players, including Dillon Boucher and Ben Pepper, are all off-contract. New coach Andrej Lemanis is in negotiations with the two Tall Blacks and Pepper, but of the three, Cameron seems most likely to go elsewhere.

Neither side was talking specifics yesterday, but it is understood that Cameron has asked permission to test the market ahead of the weekend deadline, which comes two weeks after the grand final.

"The organisation is on the up. I think it will do well," he said yesterday.

"I want to wait [and see what happens]. The coach indicated to me that he was interested [in me]. At the moment I'm enjoying the domestic league and enjoying my family."

Cameron is completing a degree in exercise science at Waikato University that he started about 10 years ago.

Lemanis flew in from Townsville to settle permanently yesterday and as far as team structure goes, he said he had "a large white board with lots of names on it".

"I've spoken to all the players to see whether they see themselves fitting in," he said.

"We are negotiating with Ben Pepper - I want to hold him and we would like to sign him before the [free agent] list goes out.

"With Pero, I haven't been able to offer him a contract yet. He has since appointed an agent."

The agent had agreed that any deal put to Cameron would be run past the Breakers first so they would have a chance to counter-offer.

Boucher said he was definitely keen to stay if wanted. The Breakers had the talent, it was just a matter of gelling.

"My heart is here. I'd love to stay but I'll definitely look overseas, at the ANBL then further offshore if I have to."

It is rumoured that Lemanis is after the Townsville Crocs import Wayne Turner, though he has denied that.

Elsewhere, Boomer Sam Mackinnon has shifted from the West Sydney Razors to Brisbane Bullets.

Hopes on Knight

The Wellington Saints hope the return of Sydney Kings star Ben Knight will lift them from the bottom of the domestic league table. Saints face the Auckland Stars on Saturday after the Stars play the Giants in Nelson on Friday. The game will be televised on TV2 at 10.30pm.

These two franchises have had a fierce rivalry over the past decade, appearing in eight of the past 10 finals and winning seven titles between them. They have met in four of those finals, with Auckland prevailing in each, including last season's decider at the Trafalgar Centre.

Wellington coach Mike McHugh is hoping for but not counting on the fatigue factor affecting the Stars.

"Auckland is a very good team," he said, indicating he expected Hawkes Bay and the Saints to compete with the Stars in playoffs.

The Saints have David Hopoi back. Auckland are expected to be at full strength bar Aaron Olson, who is still away overseas, and the Harbour Heat should also have everyone available for their Friday night clash with a full-strength Waikato.

The Hawks host Canterbury on Friday, Otago go to Taranaki on Saturday and then play the Titans in Hamilton on Sunday, the Jets and Rams play in Palmerston North on Saturday.

Lewis in points race

Wellington Saints captain Terrence Lewis needs just one more point to achieve 5000 points in the national league, says Basketball New Zealand.

Lewis, 35, first played in the league in 1993 and seemed poised to pass the milestone last week when he needed 17 points during Saints' Nelson/Canterbury doubleheader. But as his team dropped both legs of the road trip, Lewis fell marginally short and now seems poised to reach the mark on his home court at the Wellington Events Centre this week against the Auckland Stars.

A former American import, Lewis is now a New Zealand citizen and played for the Tall Blacks in 2002. He will become the ninth player to pass 5000 in the league's history, still well short of the all-time scoring record - Ronnie Joyner's 8828 points.

The 1999 scoring champion has averaged 24.5 points over his 204-game career to date and should very quickly overhaul another of the game's legends - former Saint Kenny McFadden, who is the eighth leading scorer with 5004 points.

Player of the week

Canterbury Rams forward Ryan Prillman was NBL Player of the Week in round two after his 26 points/26 rebounds in the Rams' 99-92 double overtime win over Wellington Saints last Thursday.

The American's rebound haul was the most since the league switched to 4x10 minute quarters format in 2001, surpassing the 24 boards secured by Harbour import Brian Gomes against Otago Nuggets that same year.

Otago odds best

The Otago Nuggets are offering the best return at the TAB in odds for this week's early games. They travel to New Plymouth to face the Taranaki Mountain Airs and will return punters $3.50 if they can chalk up their first win of the season.

Other odds suggest even contests this weekend:

* Bay Hawks $1.80, Canterbury Rams $1.90

* Harbour Heat $1.85, Waikato Titans $1.85

* Nelson Giants $1.80, Auckland Stars $1.90

Italy suits Jones

Tall Black guard Phill Jones continues to make an impact for his Vertical Vision Cantu Club in Italy.

Jones scored 19 points in 21 minutes to lead Cantu to a 103-96 win over Villaggio Solidago Livorno last weekend. Cantu now have a 19-8 record for the season and sit in third place on the Lega A table.

Meanwhile, Tall Black coach Tab Baldwin and point guard Mark Dickel experienced defeat in the Turkish Basketball League. Baldwin's Banvitspor fell 73-88 to Turk Telekom, while Dickel's 24 points, five assists and five rebounds weren't enough for his Erdemir club to avoid a 70-85 loss to Pinar Karsiyaka.

Waitakere join contest

Waitakere has been confirmed as the sixth team to contest this year's women's NBL, tipping off on April 23. The league found itself a team short after the withdrawal of 2004 finalists Nelson earlier this year. Attempts to attract an entry from Hutt Valley were unsuccessful, but the vacancy was filled by the West Aucklanders, who took out the Basketball New Zealand second division tournament last year.

NBL rubs off on top-scoring pair

They may have sat at the end of the NZ Breakers bench all summer, but Hayden Allen and Mika Vukona, pictured right, have already shown the benefits of their time in the Australian NBL.

Both have been instrumental in their respective teams - Harbour Heat and Nelson Giants - being unbeaten at the top of the national league table after two weeks.

Allen is the competition's top scorer, averaging 25 points, while Vukona is third among rebounders with 13.5 and second in blocks (3.0).

Vukona's 16 rebounds against Wellington Saints last week were a record for the Nelson franchise.