Jackies fall to tenacious taipains in see-sawing encounter

The JackJumpers and the Cairns Taipans met in Hobart for the second time this season on Saturday night and a monster individual performance lef their team to victory. FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED HERE

THE JackJumpers three game winning streak is over after the Cairns Taipans once again proved too much with a gutsy 91-82 comeback win in Hobart on Saturday night.

After smashing the JJs by 22 points at MyState Bank Arena in the opening round of the season, the Taipans backed it up on Saturday with another impressive win in which they overcame an early 11-point deficit before hitting crucial shots down the stretch for a gutsy nine-point victory.

After Tasmania led for almost the entire first half to take a 52-45 advantage into the main break, it was a 26-20 third term from the Snakes that cut the margin to just one point at the final change before the Jackies stalled as the Snakes slithered away to their 10th win of the season.

Taipans skipper Tahjere McCall celebrates after beating the Jackjumpers (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

With just 30 points scored between the teams in a gritty final term, it was the visitors who hit shots when it mattered most as they held Tasmania to just 10 final quarter points as they silenced the sold out crowd at MyState Bank Arena as victory slipped away.

Entering the contest JJs coach Scott Roth said Cairns athletic frontcourt was going to present a big challenge and it did just that as Taipans big man Keanu Pinder put in another monster performance to continue his claims as League MVP.

Pinder got the better of his matchup with defensive star Will Magnay and almost single-handedly kept his side in the contest for the first half before a number of teammates stepped up after the main break.

Keanu Pinder was a dominant force for the Taipans despite the best defensive efforts of Will Magnay. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

Pinder scored 23 of the Taipans 45 first -half points on his way to a game high 34 points to go with seven rebounds on 11/17 shooting from the field and a perfect 10/10 from the line.

Pinder was well aided by skipper Tahjere McCall who put in a stellar all-around game with 23 points, six rebounds and five assists.

For the JackJumpers, Jack McVeigh led the way with 17 points while Milton Doyle poured in 15 points but was held to just 6/17 from the field.

Josh Magette (13 points, four assists) also had some big moments in the game, particularly early, while Magnay continued to find his feet since his return with 12 points and three blocks in a mouth-watering matchup with Pinder.

Rashard Kelly of the Jackjumpers blocks the shot of Tahjere McCall (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

The loss takes the JackJumpers to 8-7 on the season while the Taipans moved to 10-5.

The Jackies won’t have long to lick their wounds from Saturday’s loss as they look to get back on the winners list on Monday against the 36ers in Adelaide.