JackJumpers Storm Home to Overrun Wildcats

It was a game that appeared to be played at the Perth Wildcats tempo, but the Tasmania JackJumpers delivered a stunning 22-4 run late at MyState Bank Arena on Sunday to move a step closer to a top six finish with the 102-94 win.

Both teams are locked in the battle for a top six position so Sunday's clash in Hobart was always going to be pivotal with each coming off playing on Friday – Perth a home win over Illawarra and Tasmania losing at MyState Bank Arena to Sydney.

It was a high-scoring affair throughout the afternoon too which did appear in the favour of the high-octane Wildcats and they did look to be running away with it in the second half.

Tasmania were up 57-54 at half-time, but Perth then piled 25 points to 18 in the third term, and three minutes into the fourth quarter they were in control leading by eight.

However, the JackJumpers went on a stunning run to score 22 of the game's next 26 points, to go on a 13-2 and 22-4 run to seal the eventual eight-point win in style in their last home game of the season.

It's a crucial result for both teams too with Tasmania now 15-12 and back up into fourth spot with the win taking on extra significance as the club's Teal Fundraising Game for SHE Gynaecological Cancer Group.

Perth is 14-12 in sixth with two home games against the top two teams to finish.

Milton Doyle paced Tasmania with 21 points and four assists with Rashard Kelly adding 18 points and five rebounds, and Jack McVeigh 18 points, five boards and three assists.

Josh Magette landed three massive three-pointers on his way to 11 points and 11 assists with Will Magnay significant too with 10 points, four rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists. 

On a day about so much more than just basketball, JackJumpers coach Scott Roth couldn’t have been prouder.

"It's been on our minds for five or six weeks from when Jo (Harris) first came in to talk to us," Roth said.

"She's always on my mind last year and this year along with her family, and I'm in constant communication with them. It started four or five weeks ago with a subtle reminder to these guys that this game was coming and it was obviously hugely important other than just the win being nice. 

"It's bigger than basketball and to wear our teal and to represent it for all Tasmanians and all Australians who are fighting a nasty battle with a disease that just has no mercy. For us to rally around and show that energy, and have a chance to share it with their family is just off the charts for me."

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Perth got a good performance from their six main rotation players, but again didn't go too much deeper than late even though vice-captain Mitch Norton played 13 minutes.

TaShawn Thomas top-scored with 19 points to go with four assists and three steals. Bryce Cotton added 17 points and three assists, Corey Webster 17 points and four assists, Brady Manek 13 points and five rebounds, Luke Travers 12 points, eight boards and four assists, and Jesse Wagstaff 10 points.

Wildcats coach John Rillie felt ultimately conceding 32 points and six three-pointers to Tasmania in the opening quarter didn’t set the right tone that he was after in such an important fixture.

"Overall our performance and our effort was high level," Rillie said.

"That felt like a really good playoff type game and that's what was on the line tonight. But the way we probably started that first quarter was not the tone we wanted to start the game with. 

"They made six threes and we did a good job of fighting back and creating good momentum with the way we played, but right now in the moment I would say just the way we started the game was disappointing."

Both teams were lighting it up offensively for a lot of the first quarter but it wasn’t until the last couple of minutes where the JackJumpers were able to pull away with some spectacular plays at both ends.

While a three-point play from Jack McVeigh, deep triple from Josh Magette and three-point bomb from Clint Steindl helped them on a 9-0 run to lead 32-21, as crucial was two massive Will Magnay blocks on TaShawn Thomas and Brady Manek who were trying to finish at the rim.

When Magnay finished strongly early in the second quarter the JackJumpers were out to a game high 13-point lead to have all the momentum. They were still up 11 when Steindl knocked down his second three-point bomb of the first half, but the Wildcats kept on scoring.

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Despite the JackJumpers going for 57 points in the half led by McVeigh's 13 while shooting 53 per cent from the field and hitting 7/15 from downtown, the tempo was suiting the 'Cats more even if Tasmania led 57-54.

Corey Webster (12), Thomas (11), Bryce Cotton (11) and Jesse Wagstaff (10) combined for 44 of Perth's 54 first half points with them shooting 55 per cent as a team.

Perth levelled scores up to open the second half with a three-pointer to Manek and it didn’t take long for the visitors to assume the lead. Thomas was the one having his way with his aggressiveness going to the rack.

He scored eight quick points for Perth to take his personal tally to 17 with the 'Cats opening up a five-point lead, and still being on top 79-75.

Perth were still up eight midway through the fourth, but then the JackJumpers locked in and got some stops and got on a roll offensively. McVeigh, Doyle and Magette all knocked down long balls as part of a 13-2 run that took the JackJumpers from eight down to three up with 2:48 to play.

Luke Travers responded with a dunk for Perth out of the timeout before Rashard Kelly scored up the other end for Tasmania. Doyle then landed a dagger blow with a triple before Kelly got the steal and drew an unsportsmanlike foul on Wagstaff.

He hit both and from there Tasmania completed the 22-4 run to secure the win and move one step closer to back-to-back playoff appearances.

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The JackJumpers have just one game in their season to go now and it's on the road to the Illawarra Hawks in Wollongong on Saturday.

The Wildcats finish with two home games in the last round against the league's top two teams, the Cairns Taipans on Friday and Sydney Kings on Sunday.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 17

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 102 (Doyle 21, Kelly 18, McVeigh 18)

PERTH WILDCATS 94 (Thomas 19, C Webster 17, Cotton 17) 

BOX SCORE