JackJumpers go down fighting in Adelaide

The Tasmania JackJumpers showed plenty of their trademark fight before a nine-point loss to the Adelaide 36ers to complete a four-game road run and ahead of their return home on Wednesday night.

The JackJumpers arrived at Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Thursday night fresh off road wins against Perth, Illawarra and Brisbane, and were looking to make it four straight up against Bryce Cotton in Adelaide colours for the first time.

In the end, Cotton's 13 free-throw attempts in the first half and Adelaide's 27 as a team to just nine from Tasmania was a significant factor in the Sixers' leading by nine by the half-time break.

The JackJumpers did well to limit Cotton to just two free-throw attempts in the second half and the 36ers to six as a team, and they did get back within a solitary point late in the third quarter, but couldn’t quite complete the deal.

Bryce Hamilton produced another strong performance for the JackJumpers finishing with 22 points, nine assists and three rebounds on the back of shooting 8/14 from the field.

Captain Will Magnay played another 35 minutes and delivered 17 points, six rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots while front court partner Josh Bannan was terrific again.

The JackJumpers outscored the 36ers by 12 points in Bannan's 28 minutes and he ended up with 14 points and two rebounds on 6/8 shooting.

TJ Starks also provided eight points and five assists, Ben Ayre eight points and two assists with his first two threes with Tasmania, Tyger Campbell eight points and two assists, Anthony Drmic five points, three rebounds and two assists, and Nick Marshall four points, six boards and three assists.

Bryce Cotton finished with 29 points and nine assists for Adelaide with Isaac Humphries adding 24 points and five rebounds, and DJ Vasiljevic 13 points.

Bryce Hamilton opened the game's scoring to give Tasmania the early lead before Anthony Drmic knocked down a three ball to give them a 7-6 advantage.

The JackJumpers were playing catch up the rest of the first term but did manage to score seven straight points to briefly grab the lead just before quarter-time before it was Adelaide narrowly on top 21-20 thanks to 14 free-throw attempts to three.

Jacob Richards knocked down an early triple in the second quarter as well for Tasmania and Tyger Campbell hit another from downtown later in the period for his first points of the game to keep the JackJumpers in touch.

A late finish to Magnay going into half-time cut the Adelaide lead to 51-42 too but the 27 free-throw attempts for the 36ers to the nine from Tasmania was proving the major difference with 13 of those to Bryce Cotton on his own who had 19 points.

Tasmania made a flying start to the second half with the first four points before Ben Ayre came on and provided a spark and hit his first two three-point shots in a JackJumpers uniform.

Tyger Campbell also landed a triple just before three quarter-time to bring the visitors back within a point and the margin was four by three quarter-time.

Adelaide were able to open up a game high 12-point lead during the fourth quarter, but the JackJumpers never gave up the fight and got back to within six thanks to a pair of three balls to Hamilton.

The JackJumpers couldn’t quite get closer than that down the stretch but now have completed their four-game road stretch.

They return to MyState Bank Arena for the first time since the opening night of the season to play the Kings on Wednesday night as part of the Ignite Cup.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 89 (Hamilton 22, Magnay 17, Bannan 14)

ADELAIDE 36ERS 98 (Cotton 29, Humphries 24, Vasiljevic 13)

BOX SCORE