'Lost & Found': Next man up Davison runs 'Break Show'

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Hard to imagine 1.97m leaper Carlin Davison ($121,600) has been a point guard hiding in plain sight - but here we are.

New Zealand Breakers head coach Gordon Herbert said: "It's tough with Parker (Jackson-Cartwright) out, but I think a real positive thing is, you can look at it that we've found another point guard in the process.

"I think that's a real positive from the Parker injury, so to speak, if you could say there was one."

Davison, 23, had 20 points, 14 assists, four rebounds and four steals in 32:20 as the Breakers survived a three-ball explosion from Kings star Torrey Craig ($290,400) and a three-quarter heave at the buzzer from Kendric Davis ($436,000) to stun the NBL26 champions 102-101 in a wild finish to the Ignite Cup, Round 5, clash in Canberra.

"I just wait for my name to be called, and if coach puts me there, then I just do that job," Davison said.

"I would say I've had it. At lower levels, in the NZNBL, I play point guard. I love passing the ball. I love setting up my teammates.

"I feel like it comes naturally to me, but I've still got a lot to work on."

Davison moved to the 1 after Parker Jackson-Cartwright ($405,200) suffered a lower-leg injury before last weekend's Perth Wildcats clash.

"I just think his demeanour the last couple of games," Herbert added.

"He's really accepted the challenge, accepted the responsibility and really stepped up."

Breakers big man Sam Mennenga ($303,100) also stepped up with 27 points and 13 rebounds, five of them offensive, on 9-from-12, and went 7-from-12 at the line.

"He's so dominant in the paint," Davison said.

"A lot of the time, we just try and get it inside if we can. But also, he draws so many people, it's easy to kick to the other side."

Watch

NBL27

Sydney Kings vs New Zealand Breakers | Round 5 Highlights

Watch the highlights as the Sydney Kings take on the New Zealand Breakers in Round 5 of NBL27 on October 14, 2026.

Davis, 27, appears to be in a missed preseason letdown after jumping off the plane days before the season started and seemingly not missing a beat in the Kings' three straight wins to start the season. But against the Breakers, he had a below-his-average 17 points and 11 assists on 7-for-20, with six turnovers.

But Kings head coach Brian Goorjian put it down to how teams were now scouting the Grand Final MVP.

"There's definitely, you know, you go into the second year, and he's being played a lot differently," Goorjian said.

"Just with the double-teams and stuff, I've got to get better at the spacing and the players around him, and penalise that.

"Right now, I don't see - he'd have to take four guys on to get something going because it's hard every time he crosses half-court, or every time there's a ball screen, or every time there's two guys coming to him.

"So, getting - and that's what I'm saying about the guys playing around him - getting comfortable.

"There is a frustration there, but you knew it was coming this year. The second year is always tougher, and we've gone through a lot of change.

"But nothing's changed as far as how I feel about the group.

"We've been through it before. There's a process here, and we've got to get these young guys comfortable, and we've got to penalise teams for the way they're guarding Kendric."

The defending Ignite Cup champions led by 13 points (98-85) with 2:24 to play, but then Craig happened. The former NBA veteran splashed three straight threes on consecutive possessions to drag the Kings to 98-94 with 1:18 to go, knocked down another with 13 seconds left to make it 101-99, but Mennenga went 1-from-4 at the line from there, and it was just enough.

The Breakers moved to 4-3 on the season, and the 3-2 Kings lost their second on the bounce - without injured NBA champion and Australian Boomers point guard Matthew Dellavedova ($221,300).

Herbert signed Nelson Weidemann ($277,000) earlier this week as an injury replacement, and expected him in Auckland sooner rather than later.

"The latest information I have is that I think the visa has come through, or is getting through," Herbert said.

"I think he might be here later in the week. Best-case scenario would be if he got here later in the week, but it might be possible at the beginning of next week in New Zealand.

"I don't have an update on that, but I think the process has gone forward.

"That's what's tough about this league. I talked to Brian this morning about it.

"If you have one or two injuries, it's really tough with the replacements and the 11-man roster.

"On the flip side, it really gives the development players a chance to step in and play."

What you need to know

• New Zealand Breakers beat Sydney Kings 102-101 at AIS Arena in Canberra in NBL27 Round 5.
• The Breakers won the first quarter 31-29, the Kings took the second 32-20 to lead 61-51 at half-time, and the Breakers won the third 24-12 to lead 75-73 at the last break.
• Torrey Craig ($290,400) top-scored with 28 points on 10-from-21, including 7-from-15 from three, and Sam Mennenga ($303,100) led New Zealand with 27 points and 13 rebounds on 9-from-12.
• The game turned in the third quarter. Sydney scored 12 points on 4-from-20 shooting, 1-from-9 from three, and a 10-point half-time lead became a two-point deficit.
• New Zealand led 98-85 with 2:24 left and Sydney scored 16 of the last 20 points, but Kendric Davis ($436,000) missed a three at the buzzer with the Kings down one.

New Zealand Breakers

• Sam Mennenga ($303,100) top-scored with 27 points and 13 rebounds, five of them offensive, on 9-from-12, and went 7-from-12 at the line.
• Carlin Davison ($121,600) had 20 points, a game-high 14 assists and four steals on 6-from-9, including 3-from-5 from three, and went 5-from-5 at the line.
• Mojave King ($189,100) scored 17 on 7-from-13, including 3-from-8 from three, with four rebounds and four assists in 38:56.
• Dejan Vasiljevic ($144,000) added 13 points on 5-from-13, including 2-from-9 from three.
• Kouat Noi ($185,100) scored 10 in 13 minutes off the bench on 2-from-9, both makes from three, and went 4-from-4 at the line.
• Reuben Te Rangi ($97,100) scored six off the bench on two threes, including the one that made it 98-85, with five rebounds and two steals.
• Charles Bediako ($277,000) started but played 12:15 with four fouls, scoring four on 2-from-4.
• New Zealand shot 35-from-69 from the field, 15-from-39 from three and 17-from-22 at the line, with 37 rebounds (10 offensive), 26 assists and 15 turnovers.

Sydney Kings

• Torrey Craig ($290,400) top-scored with 28 points on 10-from-21, including 7-from-15 from three, four of them in the final 1:55.
• Makuach Maluach ($134,500) added 19 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals on 8-from-11, including 3-from-6 from three.
• Xavier Cooks ($308,000) scored 18 on 8-from-11 with six rebounds and three blocks, and fouled out with two seconds left.
• Kendric Davis ($436,000) had 17 points and 11 assists on 7-from-20, with six turnovers.
• Andrew Carr ($277,000) had 15 points and 10 rebounds on 3-from-6, and went 9-from-11 at the line.
• Tyler Robertson ($106,800) scored four on 1-from-7 off the bench, the make a tip-in with two seconds left that cut the margin to one.
• Will Johnston ($69,000) played 13:32 off the bench for two rebounds and an assist, and missed his only shot.
• Sydney shot 37-from-77 from the field, 12-from-35 from three and 15-from-19 at the line, with 42 rebounds (14 offensive), 22 assists and 12 turnovers.