Breakers hold off Taipans in Cairns as Izaiah Brockington leads late surge

Sam Mennenga of the Breakers dunks the ball during the round 10 NBL match between the Cairns Taipans and New Zealand Breakers. Photo / Getty Images

Heading into “The Snakepit”, often affectionately known as the Cairns Convention Centre, the New Zealand Breakers were ready to show they could handle the pressure this week, and charm the deadly snakes into submission.

Given their track record this season of not closing out winnable games, the BNZ Breakers, aided by the cool head and hand of Izaiah Brockington, overcame some fourth-quarter nerves to record a third away win of the season defeating the Cairns Taipans 102-96 in North Queensland on Saturday night.

Again, they showed they had the firepower early on as the BNZ Breakers appeared to be cruising towards their seventh consecutive victory against the Taipans when Karim Lopez put them 12-points ahead (86-74) with a little over six minutes to play.

However, paced by a 35-point haul from the Australian commentator’s favourite, Jack McVeigh, the Taipans closed to within five points with 3:40 remaining.

The BNZ Breakers had faltered in the final period on a number of occasions this season but this time Brockington ensured there would be no slip-up.

The classy American guard took charge down the stretch, as he made eight of the Breakers’ final 10 points to finish with 22 points (making 10 from 11 free-throws and six from nine from the field), a season high 11 rebounds and four assists. He showed his form and brought order to the Breakers.

Brockington was ably supported by the ever brilliant, Parker Jackson-Cartwright (20 points, six assists and three steals) and this season’s breakout star, Sam Mennenga (22 points and eight rebounds). Other starters, Rob Baker II (10 points, six rebounds and two blocks) and teenage NBL Next Star Lopez scored 15 points on a highly efficient six from eight shooting. He pressed his credentials as a potential top 10 NBA draftee in 2026.

The big Kiwi Mennenga took charge early and scored seven straight points as the BNZ Breakers carved out an early 9-2 advantage and with Baker dropping a pair of threes the lead was 25-17 at quarter time.

An Izayah Le’afa deep two kept the Breakers ahead, however a Cairns scoring burst saw the scores knotted (32-32) at the mid-point of the second period.

A number of lead changes ensued before Jackson-Cartwright – who had been quiet to that point – converted a step-back triple to send the Breakers to the halftime break with a 47-44 advantage.

Mennenga spent time as a Taipan before joining the Breakers, and he showed how well he knew the court. He led all scorers at the interval with 16 points although, ominously, McVeigh had gathered 14 points for the Taipans.

The lead changed hands on four occasions in the opening three minutes of the third before some Cairns ill-discipline presented the BNZ Breakers with multiple visits to the free-throw line – Brockington the main beneficiary on his score line.

The team’s strong man, Reuben Te Rangi landed from deep and when Jackson-Cartwright beat the quarter ending buzzer, for the second time in the game, the Breakers led by 11 points (77-66) at quarter time.

While the final quarter presented significant challenges, coach Petteri Koponen will undoubtedly be pleased with the composure his players showed in the closing minutes, especially Brockington.

The NBL will now break for the Fiba sanctioned international window which will see five BNZ Breakers on Tall Blacks duty for the home and away games against Australia.

Taylor Britt, Max Darling, Carlin Davison, Izayah Le’afa and Sam Mennenga have been named to the Tall Blacks 12. They are joined by other Kiwi NBL players to form a high-quality side.

Following the Fiba international window the Breakers will host the Sydney Kings in Hamilton, with the Ignite Cup on the line, on December 3. The BNZ Breakers currently sit atop the Ignite Cup ladder.

As the only game in the Central North Island, Breakers fans will be coming from across the region, and the faithful will be making the trip down the Expressway to see the team compete for a chance to add the Ignite Cup to their trophy cabinet.

Result:

BNZ Breakers 102 – Brockington 22pts and 11rebs, Mennenga 22pts, Jackson-Cartwright 20pts and 6asts, Lopez 15pts, Baker 10pts

Cairns Taipans 96 – McVeigh 35pts, Andrews 23pts, King 9pts, Barker 9pts