Imports star as Bannan the hero

Jack McVeigh scored over championship teammate Will Magnay to force overtime but ultimately Josh Bannan hit the winner for the Tasmania JackJumpers who beat the Cairns Taipans 97-95 at the CODE Sports NBL Blitz.

It was a rough start to the Blitz at AIS Arena from the Taipans with them missing their first seven shots with the JackJumpers able to take advantage to lead 18-7 by quarter-time with the Snakes going just 3/13 from the field.

The Taipans quickly turned things around in the second quarter by piling on 33 points by shooting a scorching 9/12 from three-point territory.

Cairns kept that momentum going in the third quarter with another 23 points to 19 and ended up opening up their own nine-point lead, but Tasmania then fired back.

In the end with time winding down, it was only fitting that the ball was in the hands of McVeigh with his former championship teammate Magnay guarding him. McVeigh drove and scored over the top of him to send the game to overtime.

Magnay then got his revenge with a huge block on Kyrin Galloway to start the extra period but the big shots kept on coming.

Marcus Lee threw down the alley-oop slam with the pass from Kody Stattmann up one end for Cairns before Bryce Hamilton answered with a three ball up the other to tie scores up once more with 34 seconds to go.

The JackJumpers had the ball for the last possession and it was another new Tasmania face Josh Bannan who was the hero driving to the basket and finishing for the win with 0.9 seconds to go.

Bannan finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds and three assists upon joining the JackJumpers from the Brisbane Bullets for NBL26.

New import Hamilton impressed with 25 points, seven rebounds and two assists while Tyger Campbell contributed 14 points, eight assists, three boards and three steals, Majok Deng 10 points and three rebounds, and Magnay nine points, nine boards and three blocks.

All eyes were on McVeigh up against Tasmania for the first time since joining Cairns and the championship hero delivered 18 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Admiral Schofield top-scored for the Snakes with 24 points and two rebounds on 6/13 three-point shooting with Kody Stattman finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists, Kyrin Galloway 12 points with 3/5 from deep, and Sam Waardenburg 11 points and six boards.

The JackJumpers are next in action at the Blitz on Saturday night against the Adelaide 36ers before the Taipans wrap up the week in Canberra on Sunday evening against the New Zealand Breakers.

CODE SPORTS NBL BLITZ 2025/26

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 97 (Hamilton 25, Bannan 22, Campbell 14)

CAIRNS TAIPANS 95 (Schofield 24, McVeigh 18, Stattmann 17)

BOX SCORE

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