Recap | BNZ Breakers lost close one in Cairns

The BNZ Breakers controlled the game for most of the first three quarters and still had a chance to snatch it at the end but the last of five straight road matches saw the Cairns Taipans prevail 86-84 on Sunday.

The BNZ Breakers arrived at the Cairns Convention Centre without head coach Gordie Herbert who remained in Auckland after suffering an illness this week with Sebastian Gleim taking over the duties for the afternoon.

Captain Parker Jackson-Cartwright also returned for the BNZ Breakers and they started tremendously to be leading by nine points at quarter-time with Nelson Weidemann having an immediate impact.

They were still leading 46-39 by half-time with Sam Mennenga already up to 15 points, five rebounds and three assists with the BNZ Breakers still clinging to a two-point advantage by three quarter-time.

Cairns opened up the fourth quarter with a 12-3 run but still even in the last seconds the BNZ Breakers had a chance with a quick score to Jackson-Cartwright to bring it back to a two-point game and then forcing a turnover on the Snakes.

The BNZ Breakers had a couple of chances on the last possession to either win the game or send it to overtime, but couldn’t quite convert with the Taipans winning by two.

New Zealand are now 4-5 having just completed five straight away games and they will be ruing going 12/23 from the foul line despite impressive shooting from the outside where they went 12/25.

Mennenga finished with 22 points, eight rebounds and four assists with Charles Bediako perhaps having his biggest impact of the season with 15 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks.

Jackson-Cartwright had 14 points, nine assists and six rebounds on return with Carlin Davison contributing eight points, eight rebounds and six assists, and Reuben Te Rangi three points, two rebounds and two steals in NBL game 400.

Nelson Weidemann had a good impact too in 12:30 of court time to be +11 and finishing with seven points, three rebounds and two steals with DJ Vasiljevic adding seven points, Mojave King six points, three rebounds and two assists, and Kouat Noi two points.

The BNZ Breakers were without coach Gordie Herbert, but welcomed back captain Parker Jackson-Cartwright and started well in their last home game of this five-match away run to be leading 25-16 by quarter-time.

That was with shooting 10/19 from the field to 7/19 and 3/5 from the outside to 1/7 with Nelson Weidemann having an immediate impact with seven points on 3/3 shooting.

The Breakers did retain a lot of control in the second quarter but could never quite get out to a double-figure lead and by half-time were on top of the Taipans 46-39.

That was with Sam Mennenga enjoying things against his former team with 15 points, five rebounds and three assists while Charles Bediako and Carlin Davison were both up to seven points with the Breakers going 8/12 from beyond the arc.

The Snakes fired back in the third quarter and Jack McVeigh was warming to the challenge in his match up with Mennenga to be up to 13 points and by three quarter-time the home team had got the New Zealand lead all the way back to 62-60.

Cairns then started the fourth quarter with a stunning 12-3 run including a pair of three balls to Reyne Smith, and another to an under-the-weather Keanu Pinder. Suddenly the home team was up seven having been behind all afternoon up to that point.

The game took another twist with McVeigh fouling out for Cairns with 2:15 to play but the Snakes did enough to secure the two-point home win.

The BNZ Breakers finally return home to Spark Arena to play the Adelaide 36ers on Friday night where Reuben Te Rangi's 400th NBL game will be celebrated.

BNZ Breakers 84 lost to Cairns Taipans 86

Cairns Convention Centre
Sunday 25 October, 2026

Sam Mennenga – 22 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists
Charles Bediako – 15 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks
Parker Jackson-Cartwright – 14 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds
Carlin Davison – 8 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists
Nelson Weidemann – 7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals

Next Home game
BNZ Breakers v Adelaide 36ers

Spark Arena
Friday 30 October, 2026
7:30pm tipoff (NZ time)
Tickets available by clicking here