Paid today, bonded forever

Winning the first ever Ignite Cup meant plenty to the New Zealand Breakers. While the prize money wasn’t a driving force for coach Petteri Koponen, it certainly was for Parker Jackson-Cartwright, who put the team on his back in the second half.

Reuben Te Rangi, who finished with 17 points and eight rebounds, was the only player in the squad (Tai Webster injured) with previous Breakers success at the Gold Coast Convention Centre on Sunday. On this occasion, they became the inaugural Ignite Cup champions and claimed the $300,000 winners' cheque.

In a thrilling contest, the Breakers defeated the Adelaide 36ers 111–107. Jackson-Cartwright exploded for 23 points in the second half, while Sam Mennenga delivered 21 points, shooting 9-of-10 from the free throw line. Izaiah Brockington was also crucial with 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting.

While it wasn’t an NBL championship, it was the ideal way to close out the NBL26 season. Koponen couldn’t have been prouder of the group or happier for his players.

"This is the best feeling in basketball you know, you start the season with a new group, you work hard every day and it's about this," Koponen said.

"You’re trying to win something and we had a difficult year with ups and downs, a slow start for the season, but how we stuck together throughout the year and improved as a group, I think this group deserves it.

"I'm just proud of the guys, proud of their hard work and it wasn’t always easy, but this is a great result and also for the new ownership with how they've tried to do things the right way.

"I'm really proud of the overall way they do things off the court and try to build something sustainable and I think Breakers are in great hands, and the future is bright, and the work continues."

So how big of a motivating factor was the $300,000 prize? For Petteri Koponen, it wasn’t about extra money for himself.

His wife and three sons might feel differently, but he was thrilled his players received that added reward for their efforts.

"Parker and the players might care about the money, but I don't care about money anymore and I had enough money during my career so now it's all about titles and winning," Koponen said.

"The money's nice but it's these memories and these moments that are going to last forever."

Parker Jackson-Cartwright finished with 29 points and five assists, with 23 of those points coming after half-time. And while lifting the Ignite Cup trophy was special, he wasn’t hiding how significant the prize money was to him.

"I think in this moment it's about the money, I'm not gonna sit here and lie and say it's not about the money when it is," Jackson-Cartwright said.

"That was the whole point of the Ignite Cup was to compete and get to this point, and have a chance at the money for sure, but you know long-term it'll bond us for life.

"We'll be able to come back and when we see each other we'll know we did that together, and we did that for each other so in this moment tonight, it is about the money though."

Beyond the prize, this New Zealand Breakers group now shares something permanent after lifting silverware together.

"It’s super special, you know, and every time you can win a championship at any level at any point of the season like this, it's really great and I think we're bonded for life now," Parker Jackson-Cartwright said.

"I feel really just over the moon really and you're left speechless when you win a game like that, we fought and it was an up and down year, but we can go out with our heads hung high.