Breakers beaten at home by Adelaide 36ers
The Breakers have suffered defeat against the 36ers as they returned to Spark Arena for the first time in 30 days, having played five consecutive away games in Australia in five different cities.
The return home produced a stirring contest with the Breakers recovering from a 56-44 half-time deficit to lead the Adelaide 36ers 88-86 with five minutes to play before eventually falling 108-81 to the 2026 NBL Grand Finalists.
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Charles Bediako propelled the Breakers into the lead at the mid-point of the fourth only for a brace of threes from Adelaide star guard Bryce Cotton to turn the advantage the way of the 36ers.
Sam Mennenga then produced his sixth triple (from just nine attempts) of the night, and a typical Carlin Davison dunk kept the home crowd on the edge of their seats and the result in doubt. However, with time against them the Breakers were forced to foul and the 36ers took advantage to avenge a defeat suffered at the hands of the Breakers when the two teams met earlier in the season.
Mennenga was huge on offence again, with 28 points (six of nine from deep), while Davison (16 points, 11 assists and 3 steals) and Bediako (16 points and 5 blocks) were also standouts for the Breakers that also received vital contributions from DJ Vasiljevic - 15 points against his former club - and Parker Jackson-Cartwright (9 points and 6 assists) on he continued on restricted minutes.
Cotton was the standout for the 36ers with 31 points and 6 assists, American guard John Jenkins III scored 21 with forwards Zylan Cheatham and Nick Rakocevic scoring 17 points apiece.
Jackson-Cartwright with a steal, a nutmeg of the 36ers defender, and the layup made the highlight play of a fast-paced opening quarter although it was the visitors with a 28-24 lead at the end of the spell.
The Breakers celebrated Reuben Te Rangi’s 400th NBL game prior to tip-off and the Breakers veteran made the first score of the second period but despite a couple of scores from Davison, the home side found themselves 42-34 behind at the mid-point of the quarter as they gave up 11 first half offensive rebounds.
A Davison alley-oop dunk off a Majove King assist, in the shadows of half-time, got the home crowd on their feet but the Breakers headed to the main break down 12, 56-44.
The third quarter saw the change needed from the home side, with hustle plays on defence and the ball moving more on offence, they edged back into the contest. A six-point injection from Vasiljevic closed the gap to four with four minutes to play in the third and momentum was shifting their way.
Bediako produced a pair of monster blocks at the defensive end and with a Mennenga triple and a Davison break-away dunk the Breakers had had the better of the stanza (28-18) and were just two-point in arears (74-72) going into the final quarter.
Vasiljevic put the Breakers ahead in the first minute of the final quarter and from their it was nip-and-tuck until Cotton made those back-to-back threes and Keanu Rasmussen a corner dagger three, to give the 36ers the game deciding edge in the closing minutes.
The BNZ Breakers are next in action on Monday when they visit Melbourne United, remaining in Australia before facing the Tasmania Jack Jumpers on Friday November 6 in Launceston.
Breakers 101 Sam Mennenga 28pts, 5 rebounds, 3 assists; Carlin Davison 16pts, 11asts; Charles Bediako 16pts, 5 rebounds, 5 blocks; DJ Vasiljevic 15pts; Parker Jackson-Cartwright 9pts, 6asts
Adelaide 36ers 108 Bryce Cotton 31pts; John Jenkins III 21pts; Zylan Cheatham 17pts; Nick Rakocevic 17pts
