PJC puts up 26 for Breakers v 76ers

Parker Jackson-Cartwright scored another 26 points for the New Zealand Breakers and Mojave King hit three second half three-pointers but it was the Philadelphia 76ers who prevailed 139-84 as part of the NBLxNBA tour.

The Breakers started NBL25 with wins against the Brisbane Bullets and South East Melbourne Phoenix before heading to the United States which started with a loss to the Utah Jazz on Saturday.

They then backed up against the 76ers at Wells Fargo Centre in Philadelphia on Tuesday morning Australian/NZ time and while there were things to be encouraged about, the Sixers just had too much firepower.

Philadelphia put up 82 points in the first half to set up the win but Breakers superstar guard Jackson-Cartwright again showed his quality with 26 points, two assists and two steals on 9/18 shooting from the floor and 8/8 at the foul line.

Mojave King made three of the four three-pointers in the game for New Zealand on his way to 15 points along with two rebounds and two assists with Sam Mennenga contributing 14 points and three rebounds.

Freddie Gillespie also had seven points and six rebounds for the Breakers, Jonah Bolden six points and three boards on his former home court, and Max Darling four points and five rebounds.

Tyrese Maxey, Guerschon Yabusele, Jared McCain and Reggie Jackson all scored 15 points apiece for the 76ers with Ricky Council IV adding 13 and Andre Drummond 11 to go with seven rebounds.

The 76ers were playing their first pre-season game ahead of an NBA season promising so much with a star-studded roster, and they came out and dropped 40 points on the Breakers in the first quarter.

It was then another 42 points from the Sixers in the second period as the home team went into half-time leading 82-45, but the 26 points in the second frame from the Breakers showed that their offence can deliver against some of the world's best.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright already had 20 points to his name for New Zealand going into the half with Sam Mennenga adding 10 but as a team they had missed all 12 three-point attempts.

Up the other end, Philadelphia went 10/16 from downtown and shot 65 per cent overall for the half for those 82 points of which 2024 All-Star Tyrese Maxey had 15 with 4/5 shooting from deep.

Mojave King dropped New Zealand's first three of the game four minutes into the third quarter and the Breakers did keep competing the rest of the way putting up another 39 points in the second half despite the eventual 55-point margin.

The Breakers will wrap up their NBLxNBA Tour against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday before rejoining the NBL season next Thursday night on the road to the Brisbane Bullets.

NBLxNBA TOUR 2024

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 84 (Jackson-Cartwright 26, King 15, Mennenga 14)

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS 139 (Jackson 15, McCain 15, Yabusele 15, Maxey 15)

BOX SCORE