JackJumpers fall in Brisbane, turn attention to 'Cats

The Tasmania JackJumpers couldn’t quite keep their winning form going on Saturday night in Brisbane against the Bullets but they now quickly refocus to host the Perth Wildcats on Monday night.

The JackJumpers arrived at Nissan Arena looking for a second win of the season against the Bullets while also looking to continue their tremendous recent form which continued last Sunday's 96-86 road win over the Illawarra Hawks where they knocked down 22 three-pointers.

While Tasmania came into the game having won five of the past six, Brisbane had been struggling losing the last three and seven of the past eight including in Cairns on Thursday night.

That set the tone for a terrific contest but ultimately the Bullets were able to open up a handy lead by half-time with a strong finish to the second quarter, and then maintain that advantage throughout the second half on the way to the 94-86 victory.

The JackJumpers were active on the offensive glass pulling in 16 rebounds for the game that resulted in 19 second chance points. Ultimately the major difference was Brisbane getting to the foul line 29 times opposed to Tasmania's 13.

MiKyle McIntosh had his best game of the season at least scoring wise with 21 points on 9/11 shooting from the field for the JackJumpers with Jack McVeigh continuing his standout form with 21 points on 4/6 shooting from three-point range.

Josh Magette added 15 points and eight assists for Tasmania, Josh Adams 11 points, Sam McDaniel seven points, six rebounds and three assists, Clint Steindl six points and seven boards, Jarrad Weeks three points and three rebounds, and Fabijan Krslovic two points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Tasmania coach Scott Roth said defence let them down, but could see a silver lining to the loss.

"We scored enough points to be in the game, our problem was defence. Letting Brisbane score 53 points in the first half, that is not characteristic of us at all, it is not how we are built, how I coach and what I expect from these guys," Roth said.

"I believe they scored 20 points in five minutes at the end of that second period. "It was just breakdowns and things that are correctable, which is really good. 

"I love these guys and their fight, it could have been a 25 point game had we dropped out heads, but that has not been part of the culture we are building. I am proud of them, it was good to be on the road and be down and see what kind of grit we had."

Robert Franks top-scored for the Bullets with 23 points to go with 11 rebounds while Lamar Patterson had 16 points and 10 assists, Nathan Sobey 14 points, and Deng Deng 14 points.

The JackJumpers knew the Bullets would come out determined to stop their losing slide and to also attempt to make up for a loss to Tasmania on the season opening night, and Brisbane did hit the opening four points of the game.

The JackJumpers got going with an and-one play from Jack McVeigh and then three-pointer to Josh Adams, and then led 9-6 with McVeigh connected from deep as well. Josh Magette joined the three-point fun to extend Tasmania's lead to six but by quarter-time the Bullets had turned the tide to lead 24-22.

A Jarrad Weeks make from beyond the arc kept Tasmania close early in the second quarter before McVeigh connected again from deep as well heading towards half-time to give the JackJumpers the brief lead.

The Bullets were able to grab the momentum before the break to lead 53-44 at half-time and they extended that lead to 12 to open the second half with a three-pointer to Lamar Patterson, but the visitors wouldn’t go away.

By three quarter-time, Tasmania had got back to within eight points and then MiKyle McIntosh made the margin six to start the final period.

Tasmania kept coming and three-pointers with around three minutes to go from both McVeigh and Magette kept the JackJumpers within six, but that's as close as they could get before the Bullets scored the eight-point victory.

The JackJumpers now head straight back home to Hobart to prepare to host the Perth Wildcats on Monday night.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 13

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 86 (McVeigh 21, McIntosh 21, Magette 15) 

BRISBANE BULLETS 94 (Franks 23, Patterson 16, Deng 14, Sobey 14)

BOX SCORE