JackJumpers fight valiantly against the odds

Already without Will Magnay, the Tasmania JackJumpers lost Majok Deng and Bryce Hamilton on Thursday night but they still put up 30 points in the fourth quarter to send a scare into the Sydney Kings who held on to win 105-94.

The JackJumpers arrived at Qudos Bank Arena with captain Magnay already having been ruled out for the rest of the season with a foot injury, but then Deng suffered a nasty looking concussion in the first minute of the game against the Kings.

He didn’t return leaving Josh Bannan to hold down the front court and then late in the third quarter, Hamilton injured a knee ending his night early.

Despite that, the JackJumpers still outscored the Kings 30 points to 22 in the fourth quarter and sent a scare into the home team late in the piece before Sydney did hold on for the 11-point victory.

David Johnson stepped up impressively for the JackJumpers to top-score with a season-best 23 points and seven rebounds on 4/6 three-point shooting.

Bannan then stood tall in the absence of Magnay and Deng for 18 points, 15 rebounds and two assists with six of those boards at the offensive end.

Nick Marshall added another 16 points, four rebounds and two steals with 4/5 three-point shooting with Ben Ayre adding 10 points and four assists, Tyger Campbell nine points and six assists, and Anthony Drmic three points and two rebounds as he made his first bucket since October 16.

Kendric Davis top-scored with a career-best 40 points for the Kings to go with eight assists while Tim Soares added 16 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, Kouat Noi 14 points, four boards and three assists, and new arrival Torrey Craig 12 points, four rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

The JackJumpers were up against it from the start without Will Magnay but they did score the opening four points thanks to Tyger Campbell and David Johnson, but then there was another cruel blow.

When going up to attempt a basket and getting fouled, Majok Deng took a heavy fall to the floor and had to leave the game with a concussion and didn’t return meaning that three-man big rotation of Magnay-Deng-Josh Bannan was suddenly down to just the latter.

It did take the wind out of the sails of the JackJumpers understandably as well with the Kings able to go on a 17-2 to run to turn a three-point Tasmania lead into a 12-point advantage for the home team.

The JackJumpers did respond with a three-pointer each to Bryce Hamilton and Johnson, but it was still the Kings leading 26-14 by quarter-time with 44 per cent shooting to 31, and just two turnovers to the six from Tasmania.

The JackJumpers started the second frame encouragingly with a triple from Nick Marshall and bucket to Campbell, but the Kings responded with back-to-back three balls from Kendric Davis.

Despite 12 points in the half from Hamilton for the JackJumpers, the Kings were leading 52-36 by the break.

The JackJumpers kept fighting valiantly in the third quarter and Marshall knocked down a couple of three-pointers, Hamilton completed an and-one and Johnson hit another triple, but the Kings kept answering and were on top by 19 at three quarter-time.

Despite Deng and Hamilton both out for the game, Tasmania produced a heartening fourth quarter with 30 points to 22 to cut Sydney's final winning margin to 11.

The JackJumpers now have a supremely quick turnaround ahead of returning home on Saturday to host the Illawarra Hawks at MyState Bank Arena in a game that could be crucial in deciding who ends up finishing in sixth place.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26 – PRIDE ROUND

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 94 (Johnson 23, Bannan 18, Marshall 16)

SYDNEY KINGS 105 (Davis 40, Soares 16, Noi 14)

BOX SCORE