Match Report Jan 4 vs Perth Wildcats

The BNZ Breakers suffered an agonising 99-91 loss to the Perth Wildcats at Spark Arena on Sunday afternoon. With the bounce of the ball not going their way, they let slip a chance to take down their long-time rivals.

Having trailed 80-74 at three-quarter time, the Breakers stormed into the lead early in the fourth on the back of Rob Loe and Carlin Davison threes. A pair of Tai Webster free throws then made it a 86-84 advantage for the hosts with a little over five minutes to play.

However, from there the Wildcats' defensive intensity increased and the BNZ Breakers' scoring ground to a virtual standstill as they managed just a further five points in the remaining minutes. The loss was a fifth home defeat by a single-figure margin in the current campaign.

Playing his 50^th game for the club, Sam Mennenga top scored for the Breakers with 19 points, with Davison, on a perfect 6 from 6 shooting display, posted the BNZ Breakers' best 14 points. Izaiah Brockington scored 12 points, Karim López 11, with Parker Jackson-Cartwright adding 6 assists and 7 rebounds to 10 points. Rob Baker II and Tai Webster scored 8 points apiece.

The Wildcats were impressively marshalled by Kristian Doolittle with a game-high 21 points while Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. (20 points and 6 rebounds) and Dylan Windler ( 17 points and 10 rebounds) were largely instrumental in giving Perth a 40-29 rebounding advantage.

The young guard duo of Elijah Pepper and Jaron Rillie also impressed with 13 points each.

The first game of 2026 was a family-friendly 4:30 PM tip-off, which brought out the biggest home crowd of the season and started promisingly for the home side as Baker scored 6 points in the opening five minutes, as the Breakers created a 12-6 lead. Webster, against the club he played for during the last couple of seasons, landed the BNZ Breakers' first triple, but it was the Wildcats that finished the first quarter the stronger to lead 25-23.

A couple of dubious calls went the way of the Wildcats as they scored the first nine points of the second stanza before López broke the BNZ Breakers' scoring drought with a long three and a transition dunk. The fans were offering plenty of advice to the officials as the Wildcats scored 21 points from free throws.

For the BNZ Breakers, Davison was flawless from the field, which thrilled the vibrant holiday crowd packed into Spark Arena, creating a high-energy atmosphere that remained engaged until the final buzzer despite the agonising result. With a pair of high-flying scores, although with the American duo of Doolittle and Windler both in double figures, the Wildcats held a slender 48-45 advantage at half-time – Mennenga the best for the Breakers with 8 points.

Perth opened the second half with a quadruple dose of threes before Brockington answered with a brace of three-point plays of his own.

Brockington and Mennenga scored 8 points each as a high-scoring third quarter ended with the Wildcats 80-74 in the ascendancy.

Those scores from Davison and Loe set up an intriguing finish, but it was the Wildcats that finished the stronger to leave the Breakers searching for answers before returning to Spark Arena on January 9 to take on the in-form Sydney Kings.

Result:

BNZ Breakers 91 – Mennenga 19pts, Davison 14pts, Brockington 12pts, López 11pts & 7rebs, Jackson-Cartwright 10pts, 7rebs & 6asts

Perth Wildcats 99 – Doolittle 21, Lual-Acul 20, Windler 17pts & 10rebs