In a thrilling Thursday night showdown at Spark Arena in Auckland, the New Zealand Breakers staged a remarkable comeback to upset the Tasmania JackJumpers 85-75. Sam Mennenga was the star of the show, exploding for a career-high 29 points to lead the Breakers to a much-needed victory.
The JackJumpers got off to a historically bad start, scoring a franchise-low 8 points in the opening quarter while committing an equal number of turnovers. The Breakers took advantage, jumping out to a 19-8 lead after one period thanks in part to two thunderous dunks by Tacko Fall in his brief stint on the floor.
Crawford’s Surge Not Enough for Tasmania
Despite the slow start, Tasmania roared back in the second quarter behind the red-hot shooting of Jordon Crawford. The JackJumpers guard poured in 17 points on 6-of-7 from the field in the period, single-handedly erasing the deficit and staking his squad to a 45-39 halftime lead.
Tasmania stretched the margin to 10 early in the third, but New Zealand refused to fold. Mennenga caught fire, racking up 10 points in the quarter as the Breakers surged ahead by four. The JackJumpers managed to stem the tide and take a 62-61 edge into the final frame, setting the stage for a wild finish.
Mennenga’s Fourth Quarter Takeover
With the game hanging in the balance, Mennenga took over. The 23-year-old forward was a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor in the fourth, scoring 11 crucial points to keep New Zealand in front. His combination of athletic finishes at the rim and smooth outside jumpers proved too much for the JackJumpers to handle.
Winning feels good. I’m glad I could help… It felt like everyone was clicking, everyone was enjoying it, we were all having fun.
– Sam Mennenga on his career night
Breakers’ Supporting Cast Steps Up
While Mennenga stole the show, he had plenty of help from his teammates. 17-year-old Next Star Karim Lopez continued his impressive play with 17 points, while Fall chipped in 11 points and 7 rebounds in less than 14 minutes of action. Parker Jackson-Cartwright, back from a 5-game suspension, added 8 points and 5 assists in the win.
The victory snapped a streak of 13 losses in 15 games for the Breakers, who improved to 9-15 on the season. Meanwhile, the defending champion JackJumpers dropped to 12-12 and clearly missed injured starters Will Magnay, Sean Macdonald, and Majok Deng.
Key Takeaways
- Sam Mennenga’s star turn: The second-year pro was unstoppable, hitting 13-of-15 shots including 3-of-4 from deep en route to a career-best 29 points. Is this a sign of things to come?
- Karim Lopez continues to shine: At just 17 years old, the Congolese phenom looks wise beyond his years. His 17-point outing offers another glimpse of his sky-high potential.
- Injury bug bites Tasmania: Without Magnay, Macdonald, and Deng, the JackJumpers looked thin and overwhelmed at times. They’ll need to get healthy to defend their title.
- Momentum shift for NZ? After weeks of frustration, this resilient win could be just what the Breakers need to turn their season around and make a playoff push.
