Emotions run high as Jackies and Breakers boil over

In their third matchup of the season the JackJumpers and the Breakers didn't disappoint with an enthralling encounter that saw tempers flare til the dying stages.

LAUNCESTON, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 18: Jackjumpers and Breakers players engage in a melee during the round 7 NBL match between Tasmania Jackjumpers and New Zealand Breakers at Silverdome, on November 18, 2022, in Launceston, Australia. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

THE JackJumpers have found their bogey side after falling to New Zealand for a third straight time in a tense and emotionally charged game as tempers boiled over at Launceston’s Silverdome on Friday night.

In a gritty back and forth affair involving 48 foul calls, it was the visitors who came through when it mattered most as the Breakers overcame foul trouble to four key players to storm home and register a 84-76 win.

LAUNCESTON, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 18: Mody Maor Head Coach of the Breakers pulls Izayah Le'Afa of the Breakers from a melee during the round 7 NBL match between Tasmania Jackjumpers and New Zealand Breakers at Silverdome, on November 18, 2022, in Launceston, Australia. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

With scores tied at 65 apiece with 8:27 left in the game, the Breakers turned on the afterburners in the closing minutes as Dererk Pardon (19 points, 10 rebounds) and Izayah Le’afa (17 points, five assists) played through foul trouble to lead a 19-11 run as tempers flared before New Zealand took Tasmania down for a third time this season.

After threatening to boil over all night the emotion became too much for Josh Magette and Barry Brown Junior who followed on from a third quarter altercation with another in the dying stages of the game.

After Brown was called for an unsportsmanlike foul in third period for a stray elbow to Magette’s head, the two were at it again with just 12 seconds left in the game as they got tangled diving for a loose ball which required the intervention of the referees, teammates, and even Breakers coach Mody Maor to settle things down.

Brown Junior seemed to thrive on the emotion throughout the game with the confident American often seen pumping up the crowd before waving a final goodbye at the final siren following the home side’s defeat.

LAUNCESTON, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 18: Barry Brown Jr of the Breakers celebrates during the round 7 NBL match between Tasmania Jackjumpers and New Zealand Breakers at Silverdome, on November 18, 2022, in Launceston, Australia. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

While Pardon and Le’afa were big throughout the night they were well supported by Brown Junior (12 points, four assists) and Jarrell Brantley (12 points, eight rebounds) who all overcame foul trouble to lead the Breakers to their seventh win of the season.

For the JackJumpers, Rashard Kelly (17 points, eight rebounds) continued his great season in his sixth man role while Magette (16 points, 3-17) struggled from the field but was 9/10 from the foul line in an up and down performance.

LAUNCESTON, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 18: Rashard Kelly of the Jackjumpers shoots during the round 7 NBL match between Tasmania Jackjumpers and New Zealand Breakers at Silverdome, on November 18, 2022, in Launceston, Australia. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

In good news for the JackJumpers, the returning duo of Clint Steindl and Will Magnay both got through unscathed with Steindl hitting a pair of big threes and Magnay showing signs of his elite defensive capabilities with two big blocks.

Tasmania will look to bounce back from its consecutive losses in a week’s time when they face Melbourne United next Saturday at John Cain Arena while the Breakers will look for win number eight when they return home to host the Adelaide 36ers on Sunday.