Galloway stars as Taipans edge Breakers

Jaylin Galloway made an immediate impact on debut for the Cairns Taipans as they came from behind at home to the New Zealand Breakers to score the 86-84 Sunday victory.

Both the Taipans and Breakers came into the match up at Cairns Convention Centre on identical 4-4 records with the Snakes welcoming in three-time NBL champion Jaylin Galloway for a first game of the season.

The Breakers also got back inspirational captain Parker Jackson-Cartwright but were without an unwell coach Gordie Herbert with German Sebastian Gleim taking over for the afternoon.

New Zealand were in control through the first half leading by as much as nine points and still up 46-39 by half-time with Sam Mennenga already up to 15 points, five rebounds and three assists.

The Taipans got back into the contest in the third quarter before starting the fourth on a 12-3 run and holding on in a frantic finish to win by two despite giving the Breakers a sniff.

Jaylon Brown missed two free throws with 21 seconds left before Jackson-Cartwright quickly scored up the other end. Then out of an Adam Forde timeout, an errant pass from Galloway gave the ball back to New Zealand.

They couldn’t quite capitalise with Cairns winning to improve to 5-4 with Galloway outstanding first up with 18 points and six assists with 3/5 three-point shooting.

Before fouling out late, Jack McVeigh had 18 points and seven assists with an unwell Keanu Pinder producing 15 points and five rebounds while Malique Lewis contributed 11 points, four boards, two steals and two blocks.

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 12/25 from the outside.

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.

The 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.

Cairns were just going 4/14 opposed to that but stayed in touch largely due to an impressive first half of the season from Jaylin Galloway with 14 points, three rebounds and three assists.

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 to get to above .500 on the season.

The Taipans now take on the Brisbane Bullets on the road on Thursday night before the Breakers finally return home to Spark Arena to play the Adelaide 36ers on Friday.

CAIRNS TAIPANS 86 – NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 84

Cairns Taipans
Jaylin Galloway – 18 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds
Jack McVeigh – 18 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
Keanu Pinder – 15 points, 5 rebounds
Malique Lewis – 11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks
Reyne Smith – 9 points, 3 rebounds, 3/7 3PT

NZ Breakers
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