Christmas Day Game Preview: Tasmania JackJumpers v South East Melbourne

Round 12 – Tasmania JackJumpers v South East Melbourne Phoenix

Monday 25 December, 5.30pm tip-off

Concourse opens 4.00pm, Doors Open 4.30pm

MyState Bank Arena

Watch LIVE on ESPN via Kayo and Foxtel

State of Play

The JackJumpers will be hoping for a festive feast when they host South East Melbourne Phoenix in a historic Christmas Day game at MyState Bank Arena. Tasmania slipped to 4^th on the table after a disappointing Round 11, where they dropped two games, but they’ll look to bounce back in front of a raucous home crowd and give the State the best gift they can this Christmas – another win.

Will Magnay has found his feet since returning from injury last month and is firing off the bench, while Jack McVeigh is leading the league in +/- and impact.

The JackJumpers are coming off a short turnaround for the special day, but that won’t be an excuse for the home side. The JackJumpers will be up against former club Defensive Player for the Year Matt Kenyon and will have the last time they met in Round 3, a heartbreaking 1 point loss at the front of their mind.

Last time they met  

NBL24 ROUND 3, 14 October 2023

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX 86 (Browne 20, Creek 16, Cummings 15)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 85 (Crawford 27, McVeigh 19, Doyle 14)

South East Melbourne has overcome a red-hot JackJumpers side in a one-point Saturday night thriller.

Majok Deng's missed free-throw in the dying seconds allowed South East Melbourne Phoenix to escape with a hard earned 86-85 NBL win over the Tasmania JackJumpers at John Cain Arena.

The Phoenix led the thrilling clash by two points when point guard Gary Browne's missed floater with 10 seconds remaining ended in a loose-ball scrap and Deng, after collecting the ball, was fouled by former Adelaide teammate Mitch Creek.

Deng, a reliable 82.6 per cent foul shooter across his 206-game career, swished his first attempt with 3.4 seconds on the clock but his second shot rimmed out and was rebounded to safety by Creek.

Browne (20 points) and Creek (16) played pivotal roles in lowly Phoenix's toppling of the NBL ladder leaders.

SRT Logistics Coaches’ take

Assistant Coach Jarrad Weeks “Obviously, they're a revitalized team. They're playing with a lot of confidence right now. They're playing a little bit more disciplined now and they're very intense on the defensive end and they're looking to run out of their stocks. So we're gonna have our hands full this weekend. Obviously, Robinson, Harvey, and Clark are playing some good basketball right now, and Froling is a big body in the middle. Their young guys off the bench are bringing a lot of energy.

Ins & outs 

Tasmania JackJumpers: JackJumpers have a fully fit squad.

South East Melbourne: Mitch Creek – knee (TBC), Gorjok Gak – minor procedure (TBC), Craig Moller – knee (Season)

On the radar

Ben Ayre has been one of the Phoenix’s most consistent players off the bench this season and is statistically the second-best three-point shooter to have taken more than 15 attempts this season. He’s shooting 49 per cent from 49 attempts.