Breakers survive JackJumpers in OT battle

Sam Mennenga and Parker Jackson-Cartwright just wouldn’t be denied as the New Zealand Breakers closed the gap on the sixth placed Tasmania JackJumpers with the gruelling 81-80 overtime road win on Boxing Day.

The Breakers started on fire with the opening nine points of the game at MyState Bank Arena, but the rest of the way it was a physical and brutal encounter between two teams battling over sixth spot.

In the end neither team got a good look at closing out the win in regulation but in overtime the difference was eight straight New Zealand points inside from Mennenga before Jackson-Cartwright closed the deal for the eventual one-point win.

Jackson-Cartwright ended the game with 17 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and four steals to be the most influential player in the contest as the Breakers improve to 8-13 to close in on the 9-12 JackJumpers.

Mennenga also delivered 20 points and seven rebounds for New Zealand including scoring his team's first eight points of overtime while Next Star Karim Lopez added 13 points and four boards.

Rob Baker II had his moments with eight points, six rebounds and two blocks while fellow import Izaiah Brockington struggled on 1/10 shooting for two points including missing a three at the end of regulation that would have been a game winner.

Neither team had a great shooting night with the Breakers going 42 per cent from the field to 36 from the JackJumpers with New Zealand going 4/25 from deep to 11/38 from Tasmania.

Despite the physical contest, it wasn’t a high free-throw rate game either with only 13 attempts for the JackJumpers and six for the Breakers.

But the difference lied in New Zealand's vastly improved effort, focus and defence after Monday's disappointing loss in Brisbane highlighted by their 16 offensive rebounds and just 11 turnovers.

Even with having such a supportive home crowd with a sold out MyState Bank Arena game after game, the JackJumpers are 2-7 there this season while going 7-4 on the road.

Bryce Hamilton finished with 23 points on 6/13 three-point shooting while Nick Marshall scored the first 10 points for the team on the way to 15 for the game with 10 rebounds in his 100th NBL appearance.

Captain Will Magnay added 10 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks, and Tyger Campbell 10 points.

The hectic late December schedule for the JackJumpers continue when they stay at home to host the South East Melbourne Phoenix on Monday night while the Breakers now don't play until their long-awaited return home to host the Perth Wildcats on Sunday January 4.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26 – BOXING DAY

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 80 (Hamilton 23, Marshall 15, Campbell 10, Magnay 10)

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 81 (Mennenga 20, Jackson-Cartwright 17, Lopez 13)

BOX SCORE