Preview | BNZ Breakers @ Cairns Taipans

The BNZ Breakers will play their fifth, and last, consecutive game in Australia this Sunday against the Cairns Taipans with inspirational captain Parker Jackson-Cartwright to return and two-time NBL champion Reuben Te Rangi celebrating his 400th game.

October was always going to be a challenging month for the BNZ Breakers with the five consecutive road games but now they play the last of those on Sunday at the Cairns Convention Centre against the Taipans with the game tipping off at 5pm NZ time.

Making the road run more challenging for the BNZ Breakers has been the loss of Jackson-Cartwright to injury who was in MVP-level form while Josiah-Jordan James has remained sidelined.

Despite that, the BNZ Breakers have done well to secure wins on the road to the Adelaide 36ers and Sydney Kings while being highly competitive most of the way to the Perth Wildcats in the first game without Jackson-Cartwright, and losing a tight one last Sunday to the Tasmania JackJumpers.

That leaves the BNZ Breakers sitting on a 4-4 record coming into Sunday's game in Cairns against the Snakes and returning home to Spark Arena on Friday night to play the 36ers with a 5-4 record would be a highly commendable effort.

Since Jackson-Cartwright has been sidelined ahead of the game in Perth, a lot of BNZ Breakers have stepped up but none more so than Sam Mennenga, Mojave King and Carlin Davison.

Across the three games since, Mennenga is producing a phenomenal 34.3 points, 14.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists while Davison has stepped up as point guard for 12.0 assists with 12.7 points and 3.0 rebounds while King is shooting outstandingly for 17.3 points a game.

But now the BNZ Breakers will receive a significant boost with the return of Jackson-Cartwright to play the Taipans on Sunday. He was averaging 26.6 points, 9.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds this season before missing the past three matches.

Sunday's game will also mark the 400th appearance in the NBL of Te Rangi who is now in his second season back with the Breakers where he started his career.

He was part of championships in 2013 and 2015 before joining Andrej Lemanis at the Brisbane Bullets, and has since gone on to play with the South East Melbourne Phoenix and Tasmania JackJumpers.

But it's the BNZ Breakers that is home for him and it's only fitting he will be wearing a New Zealand jersey as the 32-year-old celebrates the 400-game milestone.

Meanwhile, head coach Gordie Herbert won't be in charge of the team in Cairns with illness meaning he was unable to travel with the team this weekend.

Sebastien Gleim will assume the head coaching duties for the game and he is just focused on keeping things rolling as they have been for the BNZ Breakers.

"Nothing changes, we focus on us and what we can do better every day," Gleim said.

"We know a little about Cairns having played them already, but it really has been all about us, what can we do better and how do we enforce our game on Cairns."

BNZ Breakers v Cairns Taipans

Cairns Convention Centre
Sunday 25 October, 2026
5:00pm tipoff (NZ time)

Next Home game
BNZ Breakers v Adelaide 36ers

Spark Arena
Friday 30 October, 2026
7:30pm tipoff (NZ time)
Tickets available by clicking here