JackJumpers go undefeated in NBL Blitz

The Tasmania JackJumpers have secured three wins from three games in the NBL Blitz to remain undefeated in the Pre-Season.

The JackJumpers rounded out the Pre-Season tournament on the Gold Coast with a come-from-behind victory over the Adelaide 36ers on Thursday night.

The coaching team tried new combinations with Clint Steindl and Fabijan Krslovic starting for the first time in the pre-season tournament, lining up alongside Jack McVeigh, Milton Doyle and Jordon Crawford.

A scrappy start set the tone in the first quarter with multiple turnovers and open looks but shots not falling.

The 36ers came into the game 0-2 and had a hot start as they took a nine-point lead at quarter time.

The second quarter saw an improved effort from the JackJumpers but Adelaide held the lead with an 11 points.

Tohi Smith-Milner with 12 points at the main break.

The JackJumpers with 33 points in the third quarter led by NBL23 club MVP Milton Doyle, outscoring the 36ers by 15 points to wrestle back a 3-point lead.

“It was an interesting one, I kind of let them go and made them work it out. When you’re down by 20 and they’ve got all the momentum, you need the guys on the floor to work through that. I’m not going to call a time out and tell them what to do” Head coach Scott Roth said.

“To their credit they did work through that adversity and got back to our systems and back on our own terms” Roth said.

Tasmania held on in the fourth quarter to secure a 4 point win and remain undefeated in the NBL Blitz.

Doyle led the way with 19 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals, while Jack McVeigh found range finishing with 13 points. Majok Deng found his rhythm with 11 points in just 12 minutes on the floor. Anthony Drmic in his first outing against his former team added 11 points and 7 rebounds.

The win rounded out a positive week for the JackJumpers who began the tournament with a 13 point victory over the South East Melbourne Phoenix on Saturday and 7 point win over last year’s Grand Finalists New Zealand Breakers.

McVeigh proved consistent from beyond the arc while Anthony Drmic proved he’s embraced the club’s defensive ethos with impressive athleticism on the O-boards.

Marcus Lee and Jordan Crawford were impressive in their first official outings in the NBL with Lee proving a force above the rim and Jordon Crawford showing incredible vision.

The JackJumpers now head back to Hobart for the club’s Season Launch and Jersey Presentation on Friday before Game 1 of the NBL24 season against Perth Wildcats on September 29.