'Not a point guard': Breakers plan 'out the window' after PJC injury

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Parker Jackson-Cartwright ($405,200)'s game-day withdrawal cast a long white cloud over the debut of Perth Wildcats star import Brandon Knight ($277,000).

PJC was coming in as the league's hottest player but was ruled out with a lower-leg injury is likely to sideline him for a few weeks, and his absence hurt the road team as they fell 100-84 on the back of Wildcats import Dylan Windler ($271,100)' scorching 32 points and eight rebounds in 29:47.

New Zealand big man Sam Mennenga ($303,100) went Beast Mode, beating up the Wildcats inside and out for 40 points (15-from-26), 18 rebounds and five assists in 36:26. He went 5-from-8 from three.

Before PJC's injury, Fox Sports reported the Breakers were "potentially closing in" on German international guard Nelson Weidemann as an injury replacement for Josiah-Jordan James ($277,000), who tore his hamstring in preseason.

It led to a somewhat awkward exchange between head coach Gordon Herbert and a reporter during the post-game press conference.

First, Herbert was asked about the severity of PJC's injury.

"You're going to have to ask the medical staff that question. I don't know," he responded.

Question: What does it mean for what you do from here?

Herbert: "Obviously, James got hurt before the season started, and now he's gone too. Obviously, Preston [Le Gassick]'s gone. We lost both point guards and our secondary ball-handler.

"So, it's like being out in a rowboat without an oar."

Question: You've got Nelson coming in soon. Will Wednesday night be too soon for him to play? When do you expect to see him?

Herbert: "I have no idea."

Question: What do you expect him to be able to bring to the team when he does get here?

Herbert: "On who?"

Question: Nelson.

Herbert: "The idea was to bring him in with Parker. He gives you a good defensive player on the perimeter. Obviously, that plan now has gone out the window."

Question: Sam [Mennenga], are you looking forward to having another body in there, an extra guy?

Herbert: "Who's the point guard?"

Question: Nelson.

Herbert: "Nelson's not a point guard."

Question: Are you looking forward to having the extra body?

Mennenga: "Yeah, but this is a great group too. We've got a good group.

"Obviously, we need some help in certain aspects. Looking forward to getting another body, but let's not take away from what the group is doing and how hard the group is fighting as well.

"Guys are putting their best foot forward, and obviously there are holes that need to be filled, but let's not take away from the guys and what they're doing right now."

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Gordie Herbert and Sam Mennenga press conference vs Perth Wildcats - Round 4, NBL27

The Wildcats have now won four straight, bringing Knight off the bench in his first game; he had six points, two rebounds, an assist, two steals and a block in 19:31, but five turnovers.

"He's doing good," Wildcats head coach John Rillie said.

"Just like when you're bringing a new player in, or you're bringing these guys back from injury or whatever, you can't solve the world's problems in a couple of days, a week, a month.

"We're just drip-feeding him. The team's doing a great job of bringing him into the fold.

"I thought it was a really good first-up hit-out for him.

"He just understands how to play the game – the composure, the tempo that he plays with in different moments.

"That's why I felt it was good that he got to play tonight because he hasn't played for a minute. I think maybe late June in Puerto Rico, maybe a little bit into July.

"For him just to get out and feel the rhythm and be a part of the game, he'll be better off for it next week."

Windler, on the other hand, has more than settled in and found his own rhythm.

"Made a couple early in the second half and just was able to find good, clean looks," he said.

"I guess the further out you are, it's harder to guard, so I just stay out there and get open looks.

"That's what you shoot all the shots in practice and your whole life for.

"You just shoot shot after shot just to try to find a rhythm like that in a game.

"You never know when it's going to come, but you've just got to be ready for the moment and just keep shooting your shots.

"When you get in a rhythm like that, it's fun as a shooter. That's what you play for."

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NBL27

Perth Wildcats vs New Zealand Breakers | Round 4 Highlights

Watch the highlights as the Perth Wildcats take on the New Zealand Breakers in Round 4 of NBL27 on October 10, 2026.

What you need to know

• The Perth Wildcats beat the New Zealand Breakers 100-84 at RAC Arena in Round 4 of NBL27, in front of 12,170.
• The Breakers won the first quarter 22-21 and led 27-21 early in the second, but Perth won each of the last three, 20-16, 29-28 and 30-18, were never behind after half-time, and broke it open with a 16-2 run that took a 78-74 lead to 94-76 between 6:18 and 2:19 of the fourth.
• Dylan Windler ($271,100) top-scored for Perth with 32 points on 11-from-17, including 7-from-12 from three, and 18 of them came in the fourth quarter, while Sam Mennenga ($303,100) had 40 points and 18 rebounds for the Breakers on 15-from-26.
• Perth made 16 threes from 36 attempts and the Breakers made nine from 28, a 21-point gap from beyond the arc in a game decided by 16.
• The Breakers won the rebounding 47-36, including 21 offensive rebounds to 13, and took twice as many free throws, but made 11 of their 22 and turned it over 17 times to Perth's 11.

Perth Wildcats

• Dylan Windler ($271,100) top-scored with 32 points and eight rebounds on 11-from-17, including 7-from-12 from three and 3-from-3 at the line, and scored 13 of Perth's 16 points in the fourth-quarter run that decided it.
• Elijah Pepper ($202,700) added 25 points, three rebounds and three assists on 11-from-16, including 3-from-6 from three.
• Jesse Wagstaff ($84,700) had 13 points and six assists on 4-from-7 in under 17 minutes, and Perth were plus-24 with him on the floor, the best mark in the game.
• Kristian Doolittle ($317,500) had a team-high nine assists with seven rebounds and five points on 2-from-7 in a team-high 33 minutes.
• Anthony Dell'Orso ($100,000) scored 10 points with four rebounds, three assists and two steals on 4-from-12, including 2-from-4 from three.
• Brandon Knight ($277,000) had six points, two steals and a block on 2-from-6 in under 20 minutes, with five turnovers, and Perth were plus-13 with him on the floor.
• Angus Brandt ($100,000) scored five points on 2-from-3 and fouled out with 1:37 left.
• Perth shot 38-from-77 from the field, 16-from-36 from three and 8-from-11 at the line, with 36 rebounds, 26 assists and 11 turnovers.

New Zealand Breakers

• Sam Mennenga ($303,100) top-scored with 40 points, 18 rebounds (seven offensive) and five assists on 15-from-26, including 5-from-8 from three and 5-from-8 at the line, with 17 of his points in the first quarter and seven turnovers.
• Mojave King ($189,100) added 17 points on 7-from-11, including 2-from-4 from three, with 10 of them in the third quarter.
• Dejan Vasiljevic ($144,000) scored 10 points on 4-from-14, including 2-from-6 from three, in almost 36 minutes.
• Carlin Davison ($121,600) had a game-high 11 assists with two blocks but scored one point on 0-from-5, and was the only Breaker with a positive plus-minus, plus-one in 23 minutes.
• Reuben Te Rangi ($97,100) had nine points and seven rebounds, three of them offensive, on 4-from-5, but made 1-from-4 at the line.
• Charles Bediako ($277,000) scored seven points with three blocks on 2-from-2, including 3-from-5 at the line.
• Izayah Le'Afa ($109,300) went scoreless on 0-from-5, including 0-from-4 from three, with three assists in 17 minutes, and the Breakers were minus-17 with him on the floor.
• The Breakers shot 32-from-71 from the field, 9-from-28 from three and 11-from-22 at the line, with 47 rebounds, 21 assists and 17 turnovers.