Breakers Blitz pre-season campaign with big win

The very last game at the CODE Sports NBL Blitz in Canberra saw the New Zealand Breakers win again to claim the Loggins-Bruton Cup with the 94-75 victory against the Cairns Taipans.

It's the start of a new era for the Breakers in NBL26 as they reconnect to their roots. That has got off to the perfect start with the two wins at the AIS Arena over the South East Melbourne Phoenix and Taipans to take out the pre-season tournament.

New Zealand still have returning veteran Rob Loe, new import forward Rob Baker II and Next Star Karim Lopez to come in, but the signs were exciting even with superstar guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright playing less than four minutes after taking a knock to his ribs.

New import Izaiah Brockington again put in a strong showing for the second time to win the Ray Borner Medal as MVP of Blitz producing 18 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals.

It was the last game at the Blitz this week in Canberra with the Snakes looking for a first win of this pre-season after losing in overtime to the Tasmania JackJumpers on Thursday.

It was an enterprising opening quarter from both teams as they combined for 51 points with New Zealand leading 26-25 by quarter-time but Cairns went into the break feeling good after a huge dunk from Kody Stattmann on the buzzer.

The Breakers were able to keep that pace up the better in the second term with another 26 points and a lot of their best work was done with being aggressive attacking the basket with Reuben Te Rangi, Sam Mennenga and Izaiah Brockington combining for 32 points by half-time.

New Zealand were leading 52-42 by the half-time break with shooting 58 per cent from the field opposed to the 43 per cent from the Snakes who were without new import pair Ashton Hagans and Admiral Schofield along with sharpshooter Reyne Smith.

The Breakers blew that lead out to 17 points in the third quarter but Cairns did well to fire back to close the gap to eight but New Zealand steadied to still be up 14 at three quarter-time.

New Zealand completed the deal from there on the way to the 19-point win to claim the Loggins-Bruton Cup as pre-season champions.

Reuben Te Rangi is back where his career started at New Zealand for NBL26 and top-scored in the win with 20 points, six rebounds and two blocks with 3/4 three-point shooting.

Sam Mennenga added 18 points and five rebounds, Sean Bairstow 12 points and six boards, Izayah Le'afa 11 points, seven assists, three rebounds and three steals, and Max Darling six points and three assists.

Kody Stattmann top-scored for Cairns with 15 points and five rebounds with 3/4 three-point shooting with Alex Higgins-Titsha contributing 13 points and 10 boards, Kyrin Galloway 12 points, five rebounds and two blocks, and Jack McVeigh nine points, three boards and three assists.

Both teams now turn their attention to finalising their preparations for the opening of NBL26 with the Breakers beginning at home at Spark Arena against the Brisbane Bullets on Friday September 19.

The Taipans will open up the new NBL season on the road to the South East Melbourne Phoenix on Saturday September 20.

CODE SPORTS NBL BLITZ 2025/26

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 94 (Te Rangi 20, Brockington 18, Mennenga 18)

CAIRNS TAIPANS 75 (Stattmann 15, Higgins-Titsha 13, Galloway 12)

BOX SCORE