{"id":932401,"date":"2026-10-18T08:40:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-18T08:40:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/932401\/"},"modified":"2026-10-18T08:40:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T08:40:09","slug":"incredible-tarans-career-high-32-lifts-tassie-past-breakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/932401\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Incredible&#8217; Taran&#8217;s career-high 32 lifts Tassie past Breakers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Tasmania made 25 free throws to New Zealand&#8217;s 10 to survive 36 points from Breakers star Mennenga.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/128%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Taran Armstrong ($304,700)<\/a> is \u201cincredible\u201d, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball.com.au\/news\/tasmania-jackjumpers-nbl-profile-five-things-you-need-to-know\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tasmania JackJumpers<\/a> teammate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/139%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Dakota Mathias ($145,200)<\/a> declared after the star point guard poured in a career-high 32 points against the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball.com.au\/news\/new-zealand-breakers-nbl-profile-five-things-you-need-to-know\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">New Zealand Breakers<\/a> in their 98-92 win at home at MyState Arena in Round 5 of NBL27 on Sunday, October 18, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Armstrong, 24, at times looked like the rim was as big as a hula hoop, shooting 9-for-14 (2-for-3 threes) from the field, 12-of-14 from the free-throw line while pulling down six boards, dishing three assists and three steals.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s incredible, and I think he\u2019s very mature for his age, too,\u201d Mathias said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can tell out there. A guy like that, you\u2019d think he\u2019s been playing for 10 or 15 years at this level.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s so poised and confident. He\u2019s a joy to play with.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It was a typical Scott Roth grind for four full quarters: 28 lead changes; Tasmania\u2019s biggest lead was nine; the gusty Breakers, without <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/80%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Parker Jackson-Cartwright ($405,200)<\/a>, were just three.<\/p>\n<p>It was just a good, tough game of basketball.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI talk about him all the time,\u201d Roth said of Armstrong.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s Tassie tough. He\u2019s born and raised, and he just understands the mentality of being on this island and how he was raised.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt fits in seamlessly with our culture here, and that\u2019s one of the reasons why he came back.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlso, I have to credit, as I always do, the coaches. I\u2019m lucky enough to stand in front of our guys, but ultimately, for the last five years, they have been the machine that drives this thing \u2013 the development and the time they spend with these guys and improving their game. We\u2019ve had a great, great track record.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cReuben Te Rangi is another great example. We signed him two years ago. No one wanted him. We were desperate to find a player at that point. No one had signed him at that point. He came in, and we started him, and then he gets a three-year contract in New Zealand.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe find these kinds of guys who want to come here and do the work. Then you have someone like Taran, who\u2019s really, really talented and wants to grind and do the work, too.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s elevating his game, and the sky\u2019s the limit for him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Breakers big man <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/84%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sam Mennenga ($303,100)<\/a> was on the wrong side of the scoreboard but beat up the box score again. He had 36 points (15-for-19) to go with 11 boards while emerging star <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/78%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Carlin Davison ($121,600)<\/a> had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball.com.au\/news\/nbl27-round-5-sydney-kings-new-zealand-breakers-match-report\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">another double-double<\/a> with 17 points and 11 assists in 32:24 minutes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSam\u2019s a workhorse,\u201d Breakers head coach Gordon Herbert said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s playing with tremendous effort. Obviously, we\u2019re asking a lot from him with PJ out, with Parker out.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCarlin\u2019s really evolved. He had a little bit of a tough time there in the second quarter, but I thought he really bounced back after halftime.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>NBL27<\/p>\n<p class=\"basketballcomau-vid-title\" role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"3\">Tasmania JackJumpers vs New Zealand Breakers | Round 5 Highlights<\/p>\n<p class=\"basketballcomau-vid-desc\">Watch the highlights as the Tasmania JackJumpers take on the New Zealand Breakers in Round 5 of NBL27 on October 18, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>JackJumpers import guard <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/136%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">David Johnson ($232,900)<\/a> bounced back with a 20-piece on 8-for-17 after just four in 18 minutes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball.com.au\/news\/nbl27-round-5-tasmania-jackjumpers-adelaide-36ers-match-report\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">against the 36ers<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re not ever going to go away from him because he\u2019s just too talented,\u201d Roth said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think he just has to find his consistency and stay on the floor longer without getting in foul trouble and doing some bonehead things at times that take himself out of the game.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s capable of doing what he does, like tonight. He impacts the game in a lot of different ways.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s just got to figure out how to stay on the floor and do a little bit better job on the defensive end of the floor, because his offensive skill set is really, really good.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHappy for him to bounce back again from not a great performance, obviously, against Adelaide. I know he took it very personally. To come back today and do what he did was fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Replacement player <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/166%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Nelson Weidemann ($277,000)<\/a> suited up for the Breakers after just stepping off the plane.<\/p>\n<p>New Zealand has all but lived on the road to start the season, but Herbert was buoyed by the team&#8217;s ability to overcome adversity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe one word I use for this team is they\u2019re very coachable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey learn. We get things done in practice. They understand it\u2019s not criticism; it\u2019s coaching.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve really had guys step up. Carlin has really stepped up. Sam\u2019s been a monster on this road trip. Mo\u2019s come in and really, really played well.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think our future is really good. We\u2019ve just got to get on the same page with a couple of other guys. I think we\u2019re heading in the right direction, so to speak.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>What you need to knowThe Tasmania JackJumpers beat the New Zealand Breakers 98-92 at MyState Bank Arena in Round 5 of NBL27 on Sunday, October 18, 2026.New Zealand won the first quarter 32-31, but Tasmania won the next three 22-19, 17-14 and 28-27, and never trailed after the scores were level at 74-74 with 7:17 left.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/128%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Taran Armstrong ($304,700)<\/a> top-scored with 32 points on 9-from-14, including 12-from-14 at the line, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/84%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sam Mennenga ($303,100)<\/a> led New Zealand with 36 points and 11 rebounds on 15-from-19.Tasmania went 25-from-33 at the free-throw line. New Zealand went 10-from-18, a 15-point gap in a six-point game.New Zealand shot 56 per cent from the field to Tasmania&#8217;s 43, but Tasmania had 19 offensive rebounds to nine and turned it over 10 times to New Zealand&#8217;s 18, and took 72 shots to 62.Tasmania JackJumpers<a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/128%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Taran Armstrong ($304,700)<\/a> top-scored with 32 points, six rebounds and three steals on 9-from-14, including 12-from-14 at the line, with 15 of his points in the fourth quarter.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/136%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">David Johnson ($232,900)<\/a> had 20 points off the bench on 8-from-17, including 4-from-11 from three, in 25:27.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/139%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Dakota Mathias ($145,200)<\/a> added 17 points on 6-from-10, including 5-from-9 from three, in 36:08.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/137%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Will Magnay ($269,300)<\/a> had 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists on 2-from-8, with 7-from-8 at the line.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/133%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ben Gold ($69,000)<\/a> scored six off the bench with three offensive rebounds and two steals on 3-from-6.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/138%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Nick Marshall ($203,400)<\/a> had five points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals on 2-from-5.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/130%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Josh Bannan ($317,500)<\/a> had five points, five rebounds and four assists, shooting 1-from-9 in 31:03.Tasmania shot 31-from-72 from the field, 11-from-34 from three and 25-from-33 at the line, with 42 rebounds, 17 assists and 10 turnovers.New Zealand Breakers<a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/84%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sam Mennenga ($303,100)<\/a> led New Zealand with 36 points and 11 rebounds on 15-from-19, including 3-from-4 from three, with 18 in the first quarter and six turnovers.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/159%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Mojave King ($189,100)<\/a> scored 18 on 7-from-12, including 4-from-8 from three.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/78%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Carlin Davison ($121,600)<\/a> had 17 points and 11 assists on 6-from-8, including 2-from-2 from three, with four turnovers.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/89%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Dejan Vasiljevic ($144,000)<\/a> scored seven on 2-from-5, including 1-from-4 from three.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/166%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Nelson Weidemann ($277,000)<\/a> scored six off the bench on two threes from three attempts, and picked up five fouls in 16:24.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/75%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Charles Bediako ($277,000)<\/a> had seven rebounds and two blocks, with four points on 2-from-4 and 0-from-4 at the line.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.supercoach.com.au\/nbl\/classic\/team\/select%28playerProfile:player-profile\/85%29\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Kouat Noi ($185,100)<\/a> scored four off the bench on 1-from-4 in 12:25.New Zealand shot 35-from-62 from the field, 12-from-26 from three and 10-from-18 at the line, with 37 rebounds, 20 assists and 18 turnovers.<\/p>\n<p>  SuperCoach NBL<br \/>\n  The Debrief<\/p>\n<p class=\"scd-m\">NBL27 Round 5 \u00b7 Tasmania JackJumpers 98 def NZ Breakers 92<\/p>\n<p>\n  51<br \/>\n  SuperCoach points<br \/>\n  Taran Armstrong: 32 points, three steals and 12 of 14 at the line as Tasmania held off the Breakers\n <\/p>\n<p class=\"scd-bt\">Top of the sheet<\/p>\n<p>Taran Armstrong ($304,700) posted 51 from 32 points, six rebounds, three assists and three<br \/>\n   steals in 33 minutes, making 12 of 14 free throws. It is his best score of NBL27,<br \/>\n   five clear of the 46 he made against Adelaide on Friday, and takes his Round 5<br \/>\n   to 97. David Johnson ($232,900) added 25 off the bench from 20 points, and Dakota Mathias ($145,200) made<br \/>\n   24 with five threes from nine. Will Magnay ($269,300) made 31, under the 42.5 he<br \/>\n   averaged coming in, and Josh Bannan ($317,500) 16 on one-from-nine shooting.<\/p>\n<p>Tasmania won the SuperCoach night 183 to 155 as well as the game.<br \/>\n   Sam Mennenga ($303,100) led the Breakers with 46 from 36 points and 11 rebounds on<br \/>\n   15-from-19, despite six turnovers. Carlin Davison ($121,600) made 41 from 17 points and 11<br \/>\n   assists, the double-double bonus included.<\/p>\n<p>That completes both clubs&#8217; Round 5 doubles. Davison finishes the round on 102<br \/>\n   across the Sydney and Tasmania games, the most of anyone in this game, after 61<br \/>\n   against the Kings on Wednesday. Armstrong is next on 97, then Mennenga on 96.<br \/>\n   Davison&#8217;s price has climbed from $121,600 to $163,100 this season. Tasmania host<br \/>\n   Brisbane on Wednesday; the Breakers visit Cairns next Sunday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"scd-bt\">Value of the night<\/p>\n<p>Davison was the best return per dollar, 25.1 SuperCoach points per<br \/>\n   $100,000 at his current $163,100. Armstrong was next on 17.0, then<br \/>\n   Mennenga on 15.2. At the other end, Dejan Vasiljevic ($144,000) returned 1.8 at<br \/>\n   $169,100, the lowest of anyone priced over $100,000 who played 10 minutes or<br \/>\n   more, making 3 from seven points in 27 minutes against the 18.9 he<br \/>\n   averaged coming in. Nobody went negative.<\/p>\n<p class=\"scd-bt\">The live board<\/p>\n<p class=\"scd-cl\">Tasmania JackJumpers<\/p>\n<p>    Taran Armstrong$304,700 \u25bc $299,60051<br \/>\n    Will Magnay$269,300 \u25b2 $356,80031<br \/>\n    David Johnson$232,900 \u25bc $226,70025<br \/>\n    Dakota Mathias$145,200 \u25b2 $179,40024<\/p>\n<p class=\"scd-cl\">NZ Breakers<\/p>\n<p>    Sam Mennenga$303,100 \u25bc $302,30046<br \/>\n    Carlin Davison$121,600 \u25b2 $163,10041<br \/>\n    Mojave King$189,100 \u25b2 $196,80020<br \/>\n    Charles Bediako$277,000 \u25bc $224,90018<\/p>\n<p class=\"scd-f\">Top four per club, this game only. SuperCoach scores can also change<br \/>\n   if the league corrects a box score in the days after a game. Prices in brackets<br \/>\n   are opening prices; the board shows each player&#8217;s opening price and where it<br \/>\n   stands now. Points per dollar are ours, calculated against current prices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Tasmania made 25 free throws to New Zealand&#8217;s 10 to survive 36 points from Breakers star Mennenga. Taran&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":932402,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[574],"tags":[64,63,726,85],"class_list":["post-932401","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-basketball","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-basketball","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/932401","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=932401"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/932401\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/932402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=932401"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=932401"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=932401"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}