Mennenga Races To 1000 Point Club Milestone

BNZ Breaker Sam Mennenga has wasted no time in NBL27 toreach a significant personal milestone, going past 1000 NBL points in Breakerscolours during his 36-point haul against the JackJumpers in Hobart on Sunday(he now has 1003 points for the club), the sixth quickest overall (64 games)and second quickest Kiwi behind Kirk Penney (41 games).

Mennenga has been in dominant form in NBL27, reaching evengreater heights in recent games as he steps up in the absence of point guardParker Jackson-Cartwright, helping his side to a 4 and 4 start to the season,with 6 of those opening 8 games on the road.

Through the opening 8 games of the season, the Breakers bigman is averaging 23.3 points per game, shooting at 62% from the floor and anelite 46% from three-point range.  Addedto his scoring output, Mennenga is pulling down 9.1 boards per game and dishingout 3.1 assists.

In recent games those numbers are even more elevated, withconsecutive scores of 40 (Perth), 27 (Sydney), 36 (Tasmania) on the Breakersmost recent three game road trip in Australia – asserting himself as thedominant big man in the league.

Mennenga’s previous two seasons with the BNZ Breakers hadhim averaging 14.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists, highlighting hiscontinued growth and presence in the league at just 24 years of age.

The 1000-point mark for the BNZ Breakers has been reached by18 other players in the history of the club, with only ParkerJackson-Cartwright (1,732 points) amongst his current peers to have achievedthe feat.

Mennenga was not getting carried away by the achievement,but suggested personal milestones are an indication he is on the righttrajectory.

“It means you are on the right track, it is cool toacknowledge it, but I think it also shows me what I am capable of, still earlyin my career.  I am excited to hopefullycontinue my development and performance.”

Mennenga is the 11^th Kiwi to reach the mark, andin a testament to the basketball production line at Westlake Boys High School,he is the 5^th from that school to achieve the mark (Tom Abercrombie,Kirk Penney, Corey Webster and Rob Loe the others).

“It is cool to represent the school and area; I am sure Iwon’t be the last one on that list coming out of Westlake,” said Mennenga.

Mennenga has been a huge advocate of the Breakers ‘next manup’ mentality as they have navigated their way through some injury concernsearly this season, including the recent absence of his regular partner in crimeand point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright.

“It is an obligation to go out there and step up in thatregard.  Parker brings a lot and I can’treplace Parker, but what I can do is hopefully help score the basketball andcreate advantages for us, just stepping into that role is exciting and anopportunity for sure. Hopefully I can keep leading and translate that intowins. I think I am just getting started.”

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