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📻 IMPORTANT AUCKLAND UPDATE 📻
Wildcats grind out gutsy road win over NZ Breakers
Steve Barrett, AAP •  January 4th, 2026 7:20 pm
Wildcats centre Jo Lual-Acuil Jr helped himself to 20 points in his side's victory in Auckland | Photo: Blake Armstrong/AAP
The Perth Wildcats have reinforced their reputation as the NBL's road warriors and consolidated fifth position on the ladder with a 99-91 win over the New Zealand Breakers.
After leading by double digits in the third quarter at Auckland's Spark Arena on Sunday, the Wildcats were briefly overtaken in the fourth before stamping their defensive authority down the stretch.
Kristian Doolittle scored 21 points for Perth, Jo Lual-Acuil Jr had 20, and Dylan Windler paired 17 points with 10 rebounds.
Perth Wildcats forward Kristian Doolittle top-scored with 21 points against the Breakers | Photo: Blake Armstrong/AAP
The Wildcats hit 10-of-21 from three-point range and won the rebound battle 40-29 to move to 13-10 (4-6 at home, 9-4 away).
Sam Mennenga (19 points) top-scored for the Breakers, with support from athletic reserve Carlin Davison (14 points at 100 per cent).
The defeat saw NZ slump to 8-14 and eighth place, their finals hopes hanging by a thread.
The home side jumped ahead 12-6 behind Parker Jackson-Cartwright's pesky on-ball defence and some strong work on the offensive glass, before Perth caught alight, Windler scoring eight points without a miss to steer the Wildcats to a 28-23 quarter-time lead.
The Wildcats' advantage grew to 34-23 early in the second term, before Karim Lopez and Mennenga helped slice the margin to 48-45 at halftime.
The visitors knocked down 5-of-6 from downtown in the third, Doolittle and Windler taking advantage of some sloppy NZ perimeter defence.
Down 80-74 at three-quarter time, the Breakers started the fourth with triples from Rob Loe and Davison to square the scores, before Jackson-Cartwright's step-back jumper gave them the lead.
But that field goal would be the Breakers' last for almost seven minutes, the home side missing 10 straight shots as Perth restored order at both ends.
