Lopez is only 18 – and he just dropped 19 in 4th quarter

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Mexican forward Karim Lopez will be the next NBL Next Star in the NBA and when the next Mock Draft come out he'll more than likely be in the lottery.

Lopez is just 18-years-old and he poured in more than his age – 19 points – in the fourth quarter to drag the New Zealand Breakers over the top of Melbourne United 97-95 in Round 19 of NBL26 at Spark Arena in New Zealand on Friday, January 30, 2026.

"Honestly, I didn’t even realise, because the game was going very fast," Lopez admitted.

"A lot of transition, a lot of fouling, a lot of stuff. I was just in the game. I wasn’t thinking about the points. Then I looked up and I had 28 — what the f*&k."

Lopez finished with a career-high 32 points on a blistering 11-from-13 from the field and 9-of-12 at the free throw line to go with eight boards, two assists, two blocks and a steal.

"If I would have made one more free throw, I would have been happier but the field goals probably, even though I stepped on the line twice," Lopez said.

"It’s been a great process so far. Still some games left and we want to make the playoffs, so hopefully more. I feel like I’ve done stuff like this before, but I wasn’t able to capitalise and finish the game strong. I had games where through three quarters I was really good and then disappeared in the fourth.

"That’s kind of normal for a young player. I wanted to get that little extra at the end, and I feel like I did it tonight."

The Breakers dented United's top four push without Sam Mennenga and Rob Loe II as Rob Loe played more than 26 minutes in the pivot.

Proud of the group — you know, some guys had to step up and play in different positions also," Breakers head coach Petteri Koponen said.

"And, you know, obviously, I don’t know, during my 20 years of being — 30 years of being in basketball kind of — I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the result what we had first half. We were 18 out of 18 two points in the first half. That’s pretty efficient.

"But obviously I have to give a big shout-out to Rob Loe. You know, in this league you don’t count screen assists — I think only in the NBA you have that stat — but as a big man, how you can help your guards, your other players with your screening.

"I think Rob Loe did a clinic with that tonight. Disconnecting side to side and making it easier for everybody.

"And then obviously Karim — amazing game. Big fourth quarter, big reason why we won. From inside, free throws, big — also a few threes.

"I told him after the game, stop stepping to the line on a few of those shots. But obviously, as an 18-year-old, the things Karim can do are amazing.

"Gritty win, but there is no time to celebrate too much. Tomorrow morning, straight to the airport. We keep fighting, straight to Tassie, and try to get another one."

The Breakers went an extraordinary 18-from-18 two-point field goals, stretching into the third quarter and were down 90-82 with 4:27 to play but Lopez's step-back three at 4:20 cut it to 90-85 and knocked down a go-head three with 1:18 left put NZ up 95-92. United's Finn Delany hit a big-time three with 32.6 seconds to go to make it 96-95 but Izaiah Brockington made the front end of a pair of free throws with two seconds left to push the lead to 97-95. Milton Doyle grabbed the offensive board and fired from just behind halfway but his heave went wide left.

The Breakers sixth-placed chase is absolutely alive. They are 11-17 with five games to play, chasing sixth-placed Tasmania 12-17 with four games to play while the Illawarra Hawks, after losing badly to the Sydney Kings are 10-17 with six games to play.

Key Details

• Result: New Zealand Breakers 97 def. Melbourne United 95
• When: Friday, 30th January 2026
• Where: Spark Arena, Auckland
• Attendance: 4,917
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Karim Lopez (New Zealand Breakers) starred with 32 points, eight rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes.
• Jesse Edwards (Melbourne United) scored 23 points and had 14 rebounds, one assist and one block in 29 minutes.

What Happened

The Breakers established early control, outscoring United 28-21 in the opening quarter before the visitors responded with a solid 27-21 second period to trail by just one point at halftime. The third quarter remained tight with both teams trading baskets, the Breakers maintaining their slender advantage 71-68 heading into the final period. The fourth quarter delivered the drama befitting such a closely contested encounter, with the home side ultimately prevailing 26-22 in the decisive stanza.

This captivating encounter featured 26 lead changes. The Breakers held the advantage for 18 minutes and 17 seconds compared to United's 16 minutes and eight seconds, demonstrating just how evenly matched these teams proved to be. Both teams recorded identical biggest scoring runs of eight points, with the Breakers' largest lead reaching 10 points while United's peaked at eight.

Lopez delivered a masterclass performance, shooting an exceptional 11-from-13 from the field for an outstanding 84.6% efficiency. His dominant display included perfect shot making from two-point range and solid work from the charity stripe, connecting on 9-of-12 free throw attempts. Parker Jackson-Cartwright provided excellent support with 23 points on efficient 7-from-11 shooting, while adding three assists and two steals. Izaiah Brockington contributed 16 points and six rebounds in a well-rounded effort.

For United, Edwards showcased his presence in the paint with a dominant double-double performance, shooting 10-from-13 from the field while controlling the boards with authority. Chris Goulding added 16 points but struggled with his shooting efficiency, connecting on just 6-from-19 attempts including 4-from-12 from beyond the arc. Milton Doyle provided nine assists, though United's offense couldn't quite match the Breakers' scoring output.

The Breakers' superior shooting accuracy proved decisive, converting 36-from-62 field goal attempts for a solid 58.1% compared to United's 37-from-75 for 49.3%. While United connected on more triples (10 to six), their poor 24% three-point shooting from the Breakers was offset by their exceptional two-point accuracy. The Breakers also dominated the free throw battle, attempting nine more shots from the foul line and converting at a higher percentage.