Two defeats last weekend leave the SKY CITY Breakers probably needing to win every remaining game to have a chance of making the play-offs.
Thursday’s opposition the Townsville Crocodiles (8-14) did themselves and the SKY CITY Breakers (9-14) a big favour last Saturday, defeating the Sydney Kings (11-11), 90-83 to keep theirs and the Breakers play-off hopes alive. The teams have met three times already this season, victories going to the home team on all three occasions, the Breakers needing to win by an unlikely 17 points or more to claim the four game series.
It is likely that Daryl Coletto, nursing a leg injury from last Saturday’s game in Adelaide, will miss the fixture. Corletto has been almost an ever present during the last three seasons – missing just one game in that time. His absence will give more game time to veteran CJ Bruton and the in form Corey Webster. It’s likely that Webster will be handed a starting spot, one that many believe he has been deserving of for a few weeks now.
The Crocodiles will also be a man down, they have left import Josh Pace out of their team for the game. Pace has been omitted for disciplinary reasons, having failed a breath test after a car accident in Townsville 10 days ago.
The Crocs still have plenty of scoring threats to worry the Breakers. Forward Brian Conklin who plays for Southland Sharks in the NZNBL is having a strong season averaging 15.5 points per game. Point guard Steven Markovic is in fine form directing the team and shooting the ball very well, his 42.9% three point shooting places him in the top half dozen shooters in the league. Also look out for the match up between Todd Blanchfield and Tom Abercrombie – two talented swing men going head to head.
There is also plenty of experience in the Townsville squad in the shape of Jacob Holmes, Peter Crawford and Russell Hinder. Hinder retires at the end of this campaign after 13 consecutive seasons in the NBL. New Zealand basketball fans wish ‘Rusty’ well in life after basketball but hope he doesn’t depart their shores with a victory.
LACEY LOWDOWN 