JackJumpers deliver to force Game 3

Scoring on Melbourne United is the toughest job in the NBL and has been for some time, but Josh Magette and MiKyle McIntosh broke the shackles in the final three minutes on Saturday to lead the Tasmania JackJumpers to an historic 79-72 Game 2 semi-final victory.

It was a remarkable performance from the JackJumpers to win 17 games in their inaugural NBL season. It was even more incredible that they made the finals in their first season. But then they found the going tough in Game 1 against the defending champions on Thursday night with Melbourne winning 74-63.

That meant Tasmania had to win in front of a sold out MyState Bank Arena on Saturday night to extend their semi-final to a decider in Melbourne on Monday, and in the grind of a contest that was expected they got the job done.

And after struggling against the physical and impressive United defence so far in the series, it was Magette and McIntosh who came up huge to combine for Tasmania's final 12 points of the game to help deliver the seven-point victory.

Melbourne led 68-67 with a chance to move straight into the Grand Final in front of them, but then Magette hit the next five points. 

McIntosh then scored the JackJumpers' next five, and then Magette closed the deal at the foul line and we're going to Game 3.

Matthew Dellavedova again started well and opened the scoring and before long Melbourne led 6-2, but MyState Bank Arena erupted when Fabijan Krslovic finished strongly inside in his 100th NBL game.

He converted the three-point play before the JackJumpers locked in defensively and knocked down some shots including a three ball from captain Clint Steindl. They held United to their lowest first quarter of the season of just 12 points to lead by five after one.

Jarred Bairstow and Steindl then combined to give Tasmania a 21-12 lead early in the second quarter before Melbourne got a steadying and-one from MVP candidate Jo Lual-Acuil.

Tasmania was using the momentum of their crowd, though, and when Matt Kenyon hit their second triple of the game, the margin was out to 11 points.

Melbourne only had 19 points in almost a quarter and-a-half of play but they got some offensive momentum with 15 points to close out the half even though the JackJumpers still led 38-34 at the break.

Neither team shot great with Tasmania going 13/34 from the field and 3/14 from deep with Melbourne going 14/36 and 1/13, and it was still up for grabs at the half.

Things heated up in the third quarter as you'd expect and the bigger the moment the more it's made for the United captain. Goulding knocked down a pair of triples to make it a two-point ball game after United started off 1/16 from beyond the arc.

When he nailed another heading towards three quarter-time scores were tied and soon after a Caleb Agada gave Melbourne the lead. By the end of three, the stage was set with scores tied at 59-59.

Jack McVeigh was made for moments like this and he delivered two massive threes from way downtown to give the JackJumpers the lead again. Soon after it was Josh Magette who broke the shackles with five quick points for a four-point Tasmania lead with two minutes on the clock.

It was then McIntosh time. The powerhouse played bully ball to score the two biggest buckets of his season to hit five points in the space of 36 seconds for the JackJumpers to lead by five, and end up winning by seven.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL FINALS – SEMI FINALS GAME 2

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 79 (McVeigh 15, McIntosh 13, Magette 12)
MELBOURNE UNITED 72 (Goulding 18, Agada 14, Lual-Acuil 13) 

Best-of-three series is tied at 1-1

BOX SCORE