THE FIRST match of Round 17 of the National Basketball League (NBL) season saw the New Zealand Breakers claim a 10-point win over the Tasmania JackJumpers at Spark Arena on Thursday night.
With the JackJumpers travelling to New Zealand looking to keep their season alive despite losing key players to injury, the stakes were high for Tassie in the midst of its title defence on the back of two losses from three games last round. On the other hand, the Breakers were getting back star point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright, having served his suspension.
The JackJumpers produced their worst first quarter in club history, before backing it up with their most productive period in the second in a remarkable momentum swing. New Zealand got back on a level playing field in the third, before dominating the last 24-13 to get the job done at home.
It was a career-night from Sam Mennenga, who put the Breakers on his back with a masterful offensive showing. He poured in 29 points on a ridiculously efficient 13/15 shooting from the field. When inside the arc, Mennenga and the Breakers were looking to expose an undersized JackJumpers outfit, attacking the basket and finishing at the rim.
On the other hand, New Zealand cashed in when shooting the ball, and Mennenga was at the forefront again. He splashed home three triples on four attempts including some big makes down the stretch to help the lead out beyond the JackJumpers.
Next Star Karim Lopez was also damaging with 17 points on 6/9 shooting to continue his impressive debut season, while Matt Mooney did a bit of everything to post 11 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and four steals in an all-around display.
For the JackJumpers, Jordan Crawford was their best in the loss, producing 26 points on 9/15 shooting from the field in another energetic performance off the bench.
The injury toll continues to pile up for Tassie, with Majok Deng also ruled out for the remainder of the season. The path for the reigning champions gets even tougher with a key figure joining star teammates Will Magnay and Sean Macdonald on the sidelines.
Mennenga magic lifts Breakers past JackJumpers
THE FIRST match of Round 17 of the National Basketball League (NBL) season saw the New Zealand Breakers claim a 10-point win over the Tasmania JackJumpers at Spark Arena on Thursday night. With the JackJumpers travelling to New Zealand looking to keep their season alive despite losing key players to injury, the stakes were high […]
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