NBL · Game Review

NBL game reviews – 2026-01-23

High-Scoring NBL Thriller Headlines Today’s Action

Today’s slate might have only featured one NBL clash on the board, but it more than delivered in terms of drama, scoring and standout individual performances. The Adelaide 36ers and the New Zealand Breakers went toe-to-toe in a genuine shootout, combining for over 220 points in a game that stayed tight from the opening tip through to the final buzzer.

Using the official box-score data, we’ll break down how the New Zealand Breakers edged out the Adelaide 36ers, which quarters swung the contest, and which players drove the result with big scoring, playmaking and hustle numbers. If you’re a punter who followed the lines, this was exactly the kind of game where understanding form, usage and contribution across points, rebounds and assists (PRA) really matters.

Adelaide 36ers vs New Zealand Breakers – Breakers Edge 36ers in 112–110 Shootout

The only game on today’s slate was a beauty: the New Zealand Breakers (away) scraping past the Adelaide 36ers (home) by a razor-thin 112–110 margin. The scoreline tells the story – there was very little between the sides all night, and both offences were rolling.

Quarter-by-Quarter: Momentum Swings All Night

The game never really got away from either side, with each quarter decided by a single possession:

  • 1st quarter: Breakers 23 – 36ers 22
  • 2nd quarter: Breakers 25 – 36ers 22
  • 3rd quarter: 36ers 27 – Breakers 22
  • 4th quarter: Breakers 23 – 36ers 22

New Zealand took a narrow early edge, leading 48–44 at half-time. Adelaide hit back with a strong third term, winning the quarter 27–22 and briefly seizing momentum. But in keeping with the rest of the night, the Breakers responded in the final period, edging the fourth 23–22 to close out the two-point win.

Interestingly, while the first-half scores are recorded as 48–44 to the Breakers, one set of totals has Adelaide at 66 and New Zealand at 64 in the second half, while another entry records the second-half totals as 49–45. The individual quarter scores (27–22 to Adelaide in the 3rd and 23–22 to New Zealand in the 4th) support a 49–45 second half to the 36ers, but the overall final score confirms the game finished 112–110 to the Breakers. The key takeaway is clear: Adelaide surged after the break, but New Zealand did just enough late to hang on.

Adelaide 36ers – Balanced Scoring and Strong PRA Contributions

Despite the narrow loss, the 36ers posted a very healthy 110 points and got contributions right across the board. Four different Adelaide players finished with at least 20 points, showing how spread their offence was.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright: Engine of the Offence

Guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright put together one of the most complete stat lines of the game:

  • 21 points (player points: 21)
  • 10 assists (player assists: 10) – a double-double as primary creator
  • 2 rebounds (player rebounds: 2)
  • 4 steals (player steals: 4) – a big impact on the defensive end
  • 33 PRA (player pra: 33) and 23 PR (player pr: 23)

He also recorded 2 turnovers alongside his steals (player turnovers: 2), adding up to 6 combined turnovers, steals and blocks (player tos + steals + blocks: 6). For punters looking at PRA or combo defensive stats (steals + blocks + turnovers), Jackson-Cartwright delivered across multiple markets.

Karim Lopez and Sam Mennenga: Frontcourt Workhorses

The Adelaide frontcourt was massive in this game, particularly Karim Lopez and Sam Mennenga.

Karim Lopez:

  • 21 points (player points: 21)
  • 11 rebounds (player rebounds: 11) – strong work on the glass
  • 2 assists (player assists: 2)
  • 1 block (player blocks: 1)
  • 34 PRA (player pra: 34) and 32 PR (player pr: 32)

He did have 4 turnovers (player turnovers: 4), which bumped his turnovers + steals + blocks combo to 5 (player tos + steals + blocks: 5), highlighting his high-usage, high-involvement role at both ends.

Sam Mennenga was equally influential:

  • 20 points (player points: 20)
  • 12 rebounds (player rebounds: 12) – classic double-double
  • 2 assists (player assists: 2)
  • 1 block and 1 steal (player blocks: 1, player steals: 1)
  • 34 PRA and 32 PR (player pra: 34, player pr: 32)
  • 4 combined turnovers, steals and blocks (player tos + steals + blocks: 4)

For any totals markets around PRA, PR, or points + rebounds, both Lopez and Mennenga were key over candidates in the way this game played out – heavily involved in scoring and rebounding in a high-tempo contest.

Izaiah Brockington and Max Darling: Perimeter Punch and Outside Shooting

Izaiah Brockington added another heavy scoring punch:

  • 21 points (player points: 21)
  • 4 rebounds (player rebounds: 4)
  • 3 assists (player assists: 3)
  • 1 steal (player steals: 1)
  • 4 made threes (player threes: 4)
  • 28 PRA and 25 PR (player pra: 28, player pr: 25)

He turned it over just once (player turnovers: 1), giving him 2 total in turnovers + steals + blocks (player tos + steals + blocks: 2).

Max Darling provided efficient scoring and outside shooting:

  • 12 points (player points: 12)
  • 4 made threes (player threes: 4) – all of his scoring from deep
  • 2 rebounds (player rebounds: 2)
  • 14 PRA and 14 PR (player pra: 14, player pr: 14)
  • 1 block and no turnovers (player blocks: 1, player turnovers: 0)

For three-point props, both Brockington and Darling stood out for Adelaide. Combined, they hit 8 threes, which kept the 36ers in touch any time the Breakers threatened to pull away.

Other 36ers Contributors

Reuben Te Rangi added solid two-way support:

  • 11 points (player points: 11)
  • 2 rebounds (player rebounds: 2)
  • 1 assist and 1 block (player assists: 1, player blocks: 1)
  • 14 PRA and 13 PR (player pra: 14, player pr: 13)

Tai Webster and Carlin Davison chipped in smaller but still relevant contributions:

  • Tai Webster: 2 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 7 PRA (player pa: 5, player ra: 5, player pra: 7 indicates modest but rounded output).
  • Carlin Davison: 2 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, with 7 PRA (player pra: 7).

Overall, Adelaide’s offensive depth was on show, with multiple players clearing double figures in points and several posting PRA lines comfortably into the 20s and 30s. On another night, 110 points probably gets them the win.

New Zealand Breakers – Cotton Leads a Red-Hot Perimeter Attack

On the Breakers’ side, the win was driven by elite perimeter scoring and strong all-around production from their key guards. Despite the tight margin, New Zealand’s offence looked composed and clinical, particularly from three.

Bryce Cotton: Star of the Night

Bryce Cotton was the standout performer in the game and a clear difference-maker:

  • 33 points (player points: 33)
  • 5 rebounds (player rebounds: 5)
  • 9 assists (player assists: 9)
  • 1 steal (player steals: 1)
  • 5 made threes (player threes: 5)
  • 47 PRA and 38 PR (player pra: 47, player pr: 38)

Cotton did have 2 turnovers (player turnovers: 2), giving him 3 total in turnovers + steals + blocks (player tos + steals + blocks: 3), but that’s a small price for the volume of shot creation he provided. From a betting angle, he smashed most standard points, PRA and PR lines you’d typically see in the NBL.

John Jenkins and Flynn Cameron: Massive Support Acts

Cotton wasn’t alone. John Jenkins and Flynn Cameron both put up big numbers to support the star guard.

John Jenkins:

  • 24 points (player points: 24)
  • 3 rebounds (player rebounds: 3)
  • 2 assists (player assists: 2)
  • 6 made threes (player threes: 6)
  • 29 PRA and 27 PR (player pra: 29, player pr: 27)

Jenkins did commit 4 turnovers (player turnovers: 4), leading to 4 in the tos + steals + blocks combo (player tos + steals + blocks: 4). Even so, between his and Cotton’s outside shooting, the Breakers’ backcourt was lethal.

Flynn Cameron was another major contributor:

  • 17 points (player points: 17)
  • 4 rebounds (player rebounds: 4)
  • 2 assists (player assists: 2)
  • 2 steals (player steals: 2)
  • 3 made threes (player threes: 3)
  • 23 PRA and 21 PR (player pra: 23, player pr: 21)

Cameron had 1 turnover (player turnovers: 1), giving him 3 total in turnovers, steals and blocks (player tos + steals + blocks: 3). For multi-leg same-game bettors, Cameron’s across-the-board production made him a great piece in rebounds, threes and PRA combos.

Zylan Cheatham and the Breakers’ Interior Presence

In the frontcourt, Zylan Cheatham brought energy and balance:

  • 12 points (player points: 12)
  • 11 rebounds (player rebounds: 11)
  • 3 assists (player assists: 3)
  • 2 blocks and 2 steals (player blocks: 2, player steals: 2)
  • 26 PRA and 23 PR (player pra: 26, player pr: 23)

Cheatham also recorded 3 turnovers (player turnovers: 3), which saw his turnovers + steals + blocks tally reach 7 (player tos + steals + blocks: 7). That level of activity reflects just how central he was in contesting shots, handling the ball and doing the dirty work.

Isaac Humphries chipped in with solid rotation minutes:

  • 8 points (player points: 8)
  • 5 rebounds (player rebounds: 5)
  • 1 assist, 1 block and 1 steal (player assists: 1, player blocks: 1, player steals: 1)
  • 14 PRA and 13 PR (player pra: 14, player pr: 13)

Humphries turned the ball over once (player turnovers: 1), giving him 3 in turnovers + steals + blocks (player tos + steals + blocks: 3), another example of an active big doing a bit of everything.

Defensive Playmaking and Hustle: Rakocevic and the Role Players

Even though he only scored 3 points (player points: 3), Nick Rakocevic made his mark as a defensive presence:

  • 7 rebounds (player rebounds: 7)
  • 1 assist (player assists: 1)
  • 3 steals and 1 block (player steals: 3, player blocks: 1)
  • 11 PRA and 10 PR (player pra: 11, player pr: 10)
  • 4 combined turnovers, steals and blocks (player tos + steals + blocks: 4)

His ability to disrupt passing lanes and protect the rim complemented the scoring from the Breakers’ guards.

Beyond the main names, Matt Kenyon, Dejan Vasiljevic, Isaac White and Michael Harris played lower-usage complementary roles:

  • Kenyon: 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist (player points: 2, player rebounds: 1, player assists: 1).
  • Vasiljevic: 10 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 made threes, 12 PRA (player points: 10, player ra: 2, player pra: 12, player threes: 2).
  • White: 3 points, 2 rebounds, 3 PRA (player points: 3, player rebounds: 0 in one metric but ra: 3, pra: 3 shows minor impact).

Collectively, they gave the Breakers enough depth to withstand Adelaide’s second-half surge.

Turnovers, Steals and Blocks: The Hidden Battle

One of the more interesting layers in this game was the combined turnovers + steals + blocks metric. It highlights just how active both teams were in trying to force mistakes and create extra possessions. Notable lines include:

  • Adelaide:
    • Parker Jackson-Cartwright – 6 (player tos + steals + blocks: 6)
    • Karim Lopez – 5
    • Sam Mennenga – 4
  • New Zealand:
    • Zylan Cheatham – 7 (player tos + steals + blocks: 7)
    • John Jenkins – 4
    • Nick Rakocevic – 4
    • Bryce Cotton – 3
    • Flynn Cameron – 3
    • Isaac Humphries – 3

In a two-point game, those extra possessions and hustle plays are often the difference between winning and losing – and the Breakers just shaded that battle on the night.

Conclusion – A Tight NBL Contest and What It Means for Punters

Today’s NBL action boiled down to one game, but it packed in everything you’d want: a close finish, big individual scoring nights, huge PRA totals and a constant back-and-forth between Adelaide and New Zealand. The Breakers’ 112–110 win over the 36ers showcased how explosive guard play (led by Bryce Cotton) combined with solid frontcourt support can win tight contests on the road.

From a betting and odds perspective, this game was a textbook reminder of why looking beyond just points is so important. Players like Cotton, Jackson-Cartwright, Lopez, Mennenga, Jenkins, Cameron and Cheatham all posted strong lines across points, rebounds and assists, while defensive stats like steals and blocks – and turnovers – also played a big role in shaping the flow.

If you’re serious about finding value in NBL markets, you need quick access to the best prices as well as a clear view of how players are trending across all key stat categories. Before you place your next bet, make sure you’re using our odds comparison tool to line up the best odds from multiple Aussie bookmakers, build smarter multis and back your reads with the sharpest numbers available.

Check the latest games, compare the markets side by side, and use detailed box-score trends like the ones from tonight’s thriller to get an edge every time you have a punt.