NBL round 18: JackJumpers defeat 36ers, Illawarra Hawks defeat Brisbane, Adelaide 36ers defeat Sydney Kings
The JackJumpers have won back-to-back games for the first time since early December, and in the process poured cold water on the Adelaide 36ers’ hot run of form.
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The Tasmania JackJumpers have strengthened their grip on third position on the NBL table, ending the Adelaide 36ers winning run with a 109-86 win at MyState Bank Arena on Sunday.
Fresh off an eight point victory over Cairns on Thursday night, the JackJumpers returned home to successfully complete the round 18 double and win back-to-back games for the first time since December 9.
Not since the round 9 drubbing that saw the 36ers axe former coach CJ Bruton had Tasmania won two in a row – following up that 35-point win with a road victory over New Zealand in round 10.
JackJumpers vice-captain Jack McVeigh (26 points, eight rebounds and one assist) set the tone early and produced one of his most complete performances of the season while imports Milton Doyle (17 points and 10 assists) and Jordon Crawford (15 points) were also busy for the victors.
Trey Kell (29 points and 10 rebounds) continued his hot form with another best on court showing for the 36ers while recently re-signed star Dejan Vasiljevic finished with 21 points but wasn’t able to impact the game as heavily as he did early.
Despite Vasiljevic’s hot start (seven points), it was a McVeigh lead JackJumpers that got out to an early lead.
Tasmania’s vice-captain dropped 10 for the quarter with the hosts going at 73 percent to open the game, the 36ers just 6/16 at 37 percent.
A 10-point quarter-time lead was extended to a game high 12 at the half but it was another big hit on star center Will Magnay that was the talking point.
In a scene somewhat similar to Thursday’s incident with Tahjere McCall, Magnay was floored by Nick Marshall in a call clearly missed by the officials and one that saw Magnay’s frustrations boil over on the sidelines.
He returned to the game to start the third quarter with the lead extending to 23 points before Adelaide dragged it back to 14 at the final break.
The 36ers continued to attempt a fightback in the last but with the majority of the damage already done the highlight of the term were the first NBL minutes for Tasmanian-born JackJumper Jacob Richards.
Signing a full-time contract at the beginning of the season, Richards’ entry into the game brought the home crowd to their feet despite a missed three from the young forward.
The win took Tasmania’s record to 14-12 ahead of matches against South East Melbourne and Perth to finish the regular season while Adelaide (11-15) now sit ninth and will face Brisbane on Friday night at Nissan Arena.
NBL NEXT STAR THROWS DOWN ‘DUNK OF THE YEAR’
- Matt Cleary
The Illawarra Hawks’ bench players were open-mouthed and the crowd of 4991 at WIN Entertainment Centre were up as one when AJ Johnson powered into the key, leapt athletically over the top of seven-footer Rocco Zikarsky and slammed in a contender for dunk of the year.
It was a powerful statement by the 19-year-old Next Star from Southern California, particularly given Zikarsky stands 220cm (seven feet three) and there was a scout from San Antonio Spurs in the house.
“That was a phenomenal dunk against the best shot-blocker in Australia,” Fox Basketball’s Brad Rosen exclaimed.
“He’s just gone upstairs and gone bang. Yes – dunk of the year.”
Reach for the sky, and throw the hammer down 🔨😤
— NBL Next Stars (@NBLNextStars) February 3, 2024
AJ Johnson just slammed home one of the dunks of the season ðŸ…
🇦🇺 ESPN via Kayo
🇺🇸 ESPN 3 and ESPN app pic.twitter.com/pF2Hc3rre7
The play mattered less, of course, than the Hawks’ gritty 89-76 win over the Bullets in a match with playoffs-like intensity.
The game was tight until Gary Clark nailed a three pointer with 53 seconds to play and the Hawks rained points to snap a five-game losing streak against the Bullets and charge into the top-4 with four games to play of the season proper.
Brisbane have two games to play and now sit precariously in sixth position.
FROLING ON FIRE
The Hawks went to the first break leading 22-18 with Sam Froling posting points (six) and rebounds (three).
In the second quarter Froling and the Hawks were better again, with the 213cm (7 feet) Froling outplaying better-credentialed Bullets big man Aron Baynes.
Though with Bullets’ trio Sam McDaniel snaky inside and sharp from downtown and Isaac White industrious, Brisbane got back in the game to trail 50-44 at half-time.
SOBEY’S SOBERING GAME
Bullets star Nathan Sobey was a passenger with one shot in the first quarter and no points.
The Bullets captain began the second quarter by air-mailing a one-handed pass into row six before offensive and defensive fouls saw him subbed off, swearing all the way.
At half-time Sobey’s chief stopper, Justin Robinson, was among the Hawks’ best.
“I’m taking pride in that match-up,” Robinson told Fox Sports.
Sobey’s team-mate Casey Prather went into bat for his captain, who by then had scored two points. “Nathan Sobey’s a great player,” Prather said. “He’ll find his rhythm throughout the game”.
Midway through the third quarter, it came to pass – Sobey drew four points from fouls before a booming three-pointer swished into the net and put his team up by two.
He never did catch fire, though, and finished with just three from the field from 11 attempts.
JOHNSON’S MAGIC FADES
Though his dunk brought the house down, Johnson showed inexperience in his almost six minutes on the court. In the third quarter Johnson had a pass intercepted and was timed out from a throw-in. He did not return to the court.
Froling (12 points, seven rebounds), Gary Clark (19 points, nine rebounds) and Justin Robinson (16 point, four assists) were the Hawks’ best.
36ERS TAKE MAJOR STEP TOWARDS REMARKABLE FINALS BERTH
Jason Phelan
The Adelaide 36ers’ barnstorming run to the NBL finals continued on Friday night, DJ Vasiljevic and Isaac Humphries helping the surging Sixers grind out a fourth win in a row.
Wearing their lucky charm throwback jerseys, the 36ers overcame a late deficit to keep their finals dream alive in front of another sellout crowd at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
The Sixers trailed midway through the final term, but rallied to lead by six points with just over two minutes remaining, with Kyrin Galloway nailing a three-pointer with a minute left to set up the impressive win.
The result continued the contrasting form lines of the sides, with the Sixers winning six of their past seven games, and the Kings now losing six of their last eight.
The Sixers went into the clash in ninth position, with a 10-14 record, with the Kings (12-13) up in fourth with just two more wins, but the Scott Ninnis-inspired side is closing on a remarkable finals berth.
Vasiljevic, playing his first game since signing a three-year contract extension, was quiet early but came up big down the stretch, while Humphries, playing his 50th game for Adelaide, drained 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds.
ADAMS’ EDGE
The 36ers had led at the main break in their past seven games heading into the clash, but that streak ended with the Kings edging in front by four points.
Both sides struggled to find their groove on offence in the first half, but Jaylen Adams led the way with a game-high 11 points.
The out-of-sorts Sixers gave up eight offensive rebounds and five turnovers in the first quarter, while the Kings sputtered to 3-from-17 (17 per cent) shooting from long range in the first half, with Adams 0-from-4, to Adelaide’s 4-from-12 (33 per cent).
Sixers sharpshooters Trey Kell and Vasiljevic were down on their recent output with eight points each in the first half, but the home side went on a stunning 16-2 run to start the second half as the Kings dropped to 3-from-22 from outside the arc.
The Kings trailed by 10 points early in the second half, but put together a withering 12-1 run to hit the front, with Denzel Valentine hitting a jump shot with one second remaining in the third quarter to put his side up by five points and set up a frantic final term.
SCOTTY’S JOB?
Despite the availability of NBL championship-winning coach Brian Goorjian, Ninnis’ chances of being installed as CJ Bruton’s permanent successor have firmed in recent weeks as the 36ers went 7-5 since the coaching change.
Adelaide CEO Nic Barbato spoke to ESPN at halftime and while he kept his cards close to his chest on the coaching job, he did reveal that there will be no decision made until the end of the season.
“Scotty’s done a great job to get us to this point … he’s done a really good job,” Barbato said.
“But those discussions will go on post the season and I think we’ll make the right choice.”
RUN HOME
Adelaide faces the Tasmania JackJumpers and the Brisbane Bullets away then round out the regular season at home against the New Zealand Breakers, while Sydney hosts Illawarra then takes on South East Melbourne Phoenix.
CRAWFORD, DOYLE STEP UP TO DRIVE WOUNDED TASSIE TO WIN
— Matthew McInerney
The JackJumpers’ imports stood up when Tasmania needed them most, as Jordon Crawford and Milton Doyle combined to all but end Cairns’ top six hopes
Crawford put up 25 points, which included six threes, while Doyle had 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists in a busy night at Cairns Convention Centre, as the JackJumpers strengthened their grip on third with a 94-86 win.
Just one win separated the third-placed JackJumpers and seventh-placed Taipans, and with one point between the teams at halftime it could have gone either way.
But Tasmania’s defence was simply too good, forcing Cairns into mistakes with the ball, then made them pay by hitting big shots.
Cairns import Patrick Miller had a massive night with 31 points, while Tahjere McCall had 20 points despite starting from the bench.
There was some concern for Will Magnay after the forward left the floor with a sternum injury after a heavy collision with Taipans star Tahjere McCall, and he will race the clock to be fit for Sunday’s clash with the 36ers in Hobart.
CLASSY CRAWFORD
Tasmania import Crawford had to step up and lead from the front if the JackJumpers were to be any chance of tightening their grip on third, and the Cincinnati native did exactly that.
The dynamic point guard was everywhere.
While he shot at 46 per cent from the field, he drained six three-pointers from 10 attempts (60 per cent), drew eight fouls and busy on both ends of the court.
THE DAGGER
Cairns may have well of gifted the JackJumpers the result courtesy of an incredible Sean Macdonald dagger on three quarter time.
With 2.7 seconds left on the clock, Sam Waardenburg had a chance to finish the quarter with the last shot of the quarter, but inexplicably stepped out of bounds as he released.
Up stepped Macdonald, who unleashed from a step inside the half to drain the three – and give the visitors a 10-point lead at the final change.
ON THE CHARGE
Will Magnay and Patrick Miller enjoyed a tense battle throughout the evening, but it almost came to head early in the third quarter.
With the JackJumpers in possession, Magnay unleashed a shoulder charge former dual international Sonny Billy Williams would’ve been proud of when he collided with Miller, sending the Taipans import to the floor.
The men exchanged plenty of words, and after a lengthy review Magnay was charged an offensive foul.
Magnay left the court with three minutes left after a collision with McCall, who appeared to turn his body and collect the JackJumpers forward in the chest with his shoulder.
WHO’S HOUSE?
The JackJumpers brass might consider popping the logo on the side of the Cairns Convention Centre given their dominance at the venue.
Tasmania have now not only won their last five against the Taipans, but also recorded their fifth straight win at the Snakepit.
Originally published as NBL round 18: JackJumpers defeat 36ers, Illawarra Hawks defeat Brisbane, Adelaide 36ers defeat Sydney Kings
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