'Punched in the mouth': Breakers Q1 sets up jump to sixth

• Breakers blast Tasmania with 28–14 first quarter in 99–86 victory.
• Roth says JackJumpers were “punched in the mouth” early and never recovered.
• Five Breakers score in double figures as New Zealand climb to 7–10.
• Brockington leads with 22 while PJC delivers 16 points and 12 assists.

The New Zealanders Breakers "punched us in the mouth" in the first quarter, Tasmania JackJumpers head coach Scott Roth admitted after the home jumped the visitors 28-14 before winning the Round 11 NBL26 clash 99-86 at Spark Arena in New Zealand on Saturday, December 6, 2025.

"Yeah, obviously they punched us in the mouth in that first quarter and just never could reel them back in," Roth said.

"And relatively played even the rest of the way out there. Obviously give them credit — they’re up and about — but the first quarter kind of dictated the game just in general across the board. We just got punched."

Five Breakers scored in double figures: Izaiah Brockington (22); Rob Baker II (18); Parker Jackson-Cartwright (16); Sam Mennenga (16); and NBL Next Star Karim Lopez (15). The Breakers won their second straight and are now sixth at 7-10 and far from out of it while the JackJumpers dropped seventh at 6-10.

"Super proud of this group," Jackson-Cartwright said.

"I mean, we’ve taken major strides from the beginning and it just feels like we’re clicking on cylinders right now.

"We’re feeding off each other really well. Five guys in double figures, and I mean that’s just… we’re sharing the ball, we’re playing defense and just getting out in transition – things that we do really well.

"It’s just important to keep the focus because to the finish line every game is so important. So just trying to stay focused now."

"I just think it’s the work daily," Jackson-Cartwright revealed.

"They come in, they get their extra in, and they’re listening to coach. I just think you figure it out game by game.

"Experience – you just start to get your rhythm. At the end of the day, it’s basketball and those guys do things really well on offensive end and defensive end.

"So when they’re aggressive it just gives our team more, and we need them to continue to do so."

Breakers head coach Petteri Koponen was pleased how his team started and stayed focused despite the resilient JackJumpers pushed their way back into the ball game.

"Proud of the guys," Koponen said.

"We came out really aggressive in the first quarter. We set the tone from the beginning. We matched their physicality.

"You know, first half we had some problems with their offensive rebounds and a few turnovers too many, but other than that I liked how we came out. The aggressiveness we showed. This is our home court, we got the fans behind us, and then really good.

"We had some foul problems first half – Karim, Sam – but everybody kind of did their job on the court. And then we controlled the game from the beginning until the end and they never came too close.

"Hamilton got going a little bit second half, made some tough shots but he’s a talented player. But we always responded and then took care of business.

"And really important win for us.

"I think we are also getting better mentally. Basketball is a game of runs. We make our runs, sometimes take them out, they respond.

But we are able… also against Sydney, we were able to win those tight games. Also against Cairns was tight game. And it gives us the confidence.

And like you said today, we always responded. We stayed poised. And second half only four turnovers.

"It’s not easy to play against Jackies. They put a lot of pressure, they try to get you out of your offense, trapping or being aggressive.

"So I think we were pretty good second half. We took care of the ball and found our solutions."

Key Details

• Result: New Zealand Breakers 99 def. Tasmania JackJumpers 86
• When: Friday, 6th December 2025
• Where: Spark Arena, Auckland
• Attendance: 3,638
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Izaiah Brockington (New Zealand Breakers) starred with 22 points, four rebounds and four assists in 33 minutes.
• Bryce Hamilton (Tasmania JackJumpers) scored 21 points, and had eight rebounds and six assists in 34 minutes.

What Happened

The Breakers established early dominance with a commanding first quarter, outscoring the JackJumpers 28-14 to set the foundation for their victory. Despite Tasmania fighting back in the second and third periods, outscoring New Zealand 56-52 across those two quarters, the hosts maintained their advantage throughout. The final quarter saw the Breakers close out the contest 19-16, securing the 13-point triumph at Spark Arena.

Izaiah Brockington was the driving force behind New Zealand's offensive success, shooting an efficient 9-from-17 from the field whilst adding four rebounds and four assists. His consistent scoring throughout the contest kept Tasmania at bay whenever they threatened to mount a serious comeback. Parker Jackson-Cartwright orchestrated the Breakers' attack superbly, dishing out 12 assists whilst contributing 16 points of his own, showcasing his dual-threat ability as both scorer and facilitator.

Rob Baker II provided crucial support with 18 points on outstanding 7-from-12 shooting, including three triples from eight attempts downtown. His perimeter shooting stretched Tasmania's defence and created additional spacing for his teammates to operate. Sam Mennenga was dominant in the paint, contributing 16 points and nine boards whilst converting an impressive 8-from-9 from the charity stripe.

For the JackJumpers, Bryce Hamilton led the charge with 21 points and eight rebounds, but his 9-from-23 shooting highlighted the struggles the visitors faced offensively. Will Magnay provided a strong presence in the paint with 18 points and seven boards, shooting an efficient 5-from-8 from the field. However, Tasmania's poor three-point shooting proved costly, converting just 27% of their attempts from beyond the arc compared to New Zealand's 34%.

The Breakers' superior shooting accuracy was the decisive factor in this contest. They shot 49% from the field compared to Tasmania's 44%, whilst their advantage from the foul line was even more pronounced at 76% versus 63%. New Zealand also controlled the glass more effectively, out-rebounding their opponents 45-38, with their 17 offensive rebounds creating numerous second-chance opportunities that ultimately proved decisive in securing the victory.