A career-best performance from Sam Mennenga was not enough to save the BNZ Breakers from a 100-84 defeat to the Perth Wildcats, with a devastating fourth-quarter shooting display ending New Zealand’s hopes of an upset in the Australian NBL.
The undermanned Breakers pushed one of the competition’s in-form teams for three quarters before Perth unleashed a barrage of three-pointers to secure its second victory over the New Zealand side this season.
Mennenga delivered an extraordinary individual performance, finishing with a career-high 40 points, 18 rebounds and five assists as he dominated inside the paint and carried much of the Breakers’ offensive workload.
The big man was unstoppable early, scoring 17 points and grabbing seven rebounds in the opening quarter to help New Zealand establish a narrow 22-21 advantage.
Despite missing key players Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Josiah Jordan James and Preston Le Gassick through injury, the Breakers showed plenty of determination against a Wildcats side playing its fifth consecutive home game.
Carlin Davison stepped into an unfamiliar ball-handling role and produced a career-high 11 assists, while Mojave King contributed 17 points on efficient shooting.
DJ Vasiljevic added 10 points, Reuben Te Rangi delivered nine points and seven rebounds from the bench, and Charles Bediako chipped in with seven points.
The Breakers also dominated the rebounding battle 47-36, demonstrating their physical commitment against the home side.
However, Perth’s superior perimeter shooting ultimately proved decisive.
The Wildcats connected on 44 percent of their three-point attempts compared with New Zealand’s 32 percent, with a devastating run of three consecutive triples midway through the final quarter breaking the contest open.
Perth outscored the Breakers 30-18 in the final period, turning what had been a closely fought encounter into a comfortable 16-point victory.
Dylan Windler led the Wildcats with 32 points, including seven three-pointers, while Elijah Pepper added 25 points.
Breakers head coach Gordie Herbert praised his players’ determination, particularly their commitment to establishing an inside game and competing despite the absence of several regular starters.
Mennenga also acknowledged that while the team had shown resilience, maintaining that intensity across the full 40 minutes would be essential against the competition’s leading sides.
The result leaves the Breakers with three wins and three losses from their opening six games of the NBL27 season, including four matches away from home.
There is little time to regroup, with New Zealand heading to Canberra for an IGNITE Cup clash against the unbeaten Sydney Kings on Wednesday night.
The Breakers then travel to Hobart to face the Tasmania JackJumpers on Sunday, October 18, before returning to Auckland for their next home game against the Adelaide 36ers at Spark Arena on October 30.
Despite the defeat, Mennenga’s career-best performance and the determination shown by an injury-hit squad provide encouraging signs as the Breakers navigate a demanding early-season schedule.
Final Score: Perth Wildcats 100 – BNZ Breakers 84
Breakers Leading Performers:
- Sam Mennenga – 40 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists
- Mojave King – 17 points
- DJ Vasiljevic – 10 points
- Reuben Te Rangi – 9 points, 7 rebounds
- Carlin Davison – 11 assists
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