NZ Breakers have opened the new Australian NBL season in style, defeating Cairns Taipans 98-87 in captain Tom Abercrombie's 400th game for the club.
Ending a winless run that dated back to 2016, the Breakers notched a season-opening victory in front of their home crowd at Spark Arena, after coming within one game of lifting the 2022/23 title.
Abercrombie, 36, marked his milestone with the Breakers' first points of the season, along with five points, three rebounds and one assist.
Import Parker Jackson-Cartwright led the way in his first game for the Auckland club, scoring a game-high 25 points, to go with eight assists and four rebounds - more than making up for the absence of Aussie point guard Will McDowell-White.
Finn Delany (18 points), Justinian Jessup (15 points, three rebounds, two assists), Mangok Mathiang (11 points) and Zylan Cheatham (11 points) also scored in double figures for the Breakers.
For Cairns, Kiwi Sam Mennenga top scored with 17 points, with support from Patrick Miller (15) and fellow New Zealander Sam Waardenburg (12).
Victory sees the Breakers fourth on the ANBL ladder after the opening round of the new season, as coach Mody Maor's side return to the court on Thursday at home to Brisbane Bullets.
