Game Preview: Taipans v Breakers

The Kenfrost Homes Cairns Taipans return to the Convention Centre this Saturday afternoon for their first meeting of the season with the New Zealand Breakers. It’s a matchup between two hungry sides desperate to reset their campaigns, with the Breakers sitting at 4-10 and the Snakes determined to turn gritty performances into wins.

Fresh off Jack McVeigh’s career night in Adelaide, where the Boomer exploded for 39 points and led Cairns into an overtime thriller, the Taipans now look to carry that fight back home. Standing in their way is dangerous guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright, in-form big Sam Mennenga and projected NBA talent Karim López.

With both teams eyeing momentum in their final outing before the FIBA break. Expect a fiery, high-stakes clash as the Snakes aim to defend the Far North.

Where and When

Saturday, 22 November at the Cairns Convention Centre Centre (4:30pm AEST)

How to Follow

Watch: Live on ESPN

Live Updates: Taipans X

Stats: Box Score

What’s Already Happened

Recent Results

Adelaide 36ers (105) v Cairns Taipans (101) — OT
Perth Wildcats (88) v New Zealand Breakers (75)

Jack McVeigh and the Taipans produced one of their toughest performances of the season but fell agonisingly short in a 105–101 overtime loss to the Adelaide 36ers on Sunday afternoon.

On less than 48 hours’ rest and backing up from Friday night’s clash at home — the undermanned Snakes pushed the star-studded 36ers until the final possession.

Led by a career-high performance from McVeigh, the Australian Boomer erupted for 39 points on 15-25 FG shooting, including four triples, while adding eight rebounds and seven assists in a breathtaking all-around performance.

The forward repeatedly punished Adelaide’s switches, attacked mismatches with purpose and set the tone defensively, trading blows with Bryce Cotton all night in a superstar duel.

Cairns forced overtime after rim protector Marcus Lee tied the game from the free-throw line with 34 seconds remaining and Mojave King slammed home a transition dunk moments earlier to cut the margin to one. But the 36ers were able to secure the win in overtime. 

Big men Kyrin Galloway and Lee delivered arguably their best collective outing of the season.
Galloway was clinical with 14 points on 5-6 FG shooting (3-4 from three), stretching Adelaide’s defence and providing timely scoring.
Lee was immense on the offensive glass, finishing with nine rebounds — seven offensive — and 15 points. 

In a game that had 21 lead changes, Breakers effort came up short as they were beaten 88-75 against the Perth Wildcats in their last fixture.

The Breakers duo of playmaker Jackson-Cartwright and towering centre Mennenga pose as the major threats heading into the clash. 
Mennenga, 23, started his NBL career with the Taipans before joining the Breakers in NBL25 and is currently in career-best form with 16.5 points and 7.4 rebounds. 

Shifty scorer Jackson-Cartwright (16.7 points per game) will go head-to-head with Andrew Andrews. Heading into Round 10, Parker Jackson-Cartwright ranks first for assists per game (7.9) this season, while Andrews ranks third with 6.3 assists per game. 

Karim Lopez — averaging 10 points and 6.4 rebounds — is one of the more exciting talents in the world, looming as a potential lottery pick in the upcoming NBA draft. 

The 18-year-old has already represented Mexico on the international stage after playing professionally in Spain. 

Kiwi veteran Rob Loe made an immediate impact in his return after a three-game absence, crossing the 1000-point threshold for the club against Wildcats.

During the NBL26 season, the Breakers have only won two of their seven away matches.

Player to Watch - Mojave King

New recruit Mojave King backed up his incredible start to NBL26 with another energetic offensive showing, finishing with 21 points (8-14 FG, 3-8 from three) and three rebounds.

King, averaging 14.6 points on 52.7 per cent FG and a remarkable 42.3 per cent from three, also had the tiresome match-up on five-time NBL MVP Bryce Cotton across his 42 minutes.

Five years after joining the club as a Next Star in NBL21, the 23-year-old brought energy in transition, knocked down key perimeter shots and delivered a highlight-reel dunk in the fourth quarter to pull Cairns within one.

King’s confidence continues to rise ahead of joining the New Zealand Tall Blacks during the upcoming FIBA break where he will join Breakers’ Taylor Britt, Max Darling, Carlin Davidson, Sam Mennenga and Izayah Le'afa in the squad.

What's Been Said

Head Coach Adam Forde
"New Zealand's very well balanced. Mennenga is a tough three-point threat while Jackson-Cartwright is arguably one of the best points guards in the league. Everybody in between those two in the line-up is filling their roles. They're on the up and up and we want to make sure we don't take anyone lightly. We haven't won at home in a while, we really need to make sure we focus for the full 40 minutes and not just play a half of basketball and think it'll be enough."

"It would have been so easy off the back of a double header to just roll into Adelaide and lose by 30, but we didn't. It shows the resilience of the group. Once we bring in some big pieces, like Sam Waardenburg — who was our club MVP last season — Reyne Smith, Kody Stattmann and Kyle Adnam, that will tip the balance."

"We need to keep building on what we're doing with those players coming in and contributing, but not solely being the reason between winning and losing. We've got to keep stacking the days."

The Lineups

Taipans

PG – Andrew Andrews / Lachlan Barker

SG – Mojave King / Lloyd McVeigh / Kian Dennis

SF – Jack McVeigh / Mawot Mag

PF – Admiral Schofield / Kyrin Galloway

C – Marcus Lee / Jed Richardson

Breakers

PG – Parker Jackson-Cartwright / Taylor Britt

SG – Izaiah Brockington /  Izayah Mauriohooho-Le afa / Sean Bairstow

SF – Karim López / Carlin Davison / Max Darling

PF – Robert Baker /  Reuben Te Rangi 

C – Sam Mennenga / Robert Loe

Ins and Outs

Taipans

Ins – Mojave King, Lachlan Barker, Lloyd McVeigh, Jed Richardson, Kian Dennis

Outs – Sam Waardenburg (ankle), Kody Stattmann (hamstring), Alex Higgins-Titsha (hand), Reyne Smith (foot), Kyle Adnam (knee)

Breakers

Ins and Outs – N/A