JackJumpers starters do Tasmania proud

The NBL season might be over for the Tasmania JackJumpers but it's hard to imagine a braver performance to give themselves a chance with their starting unit doing a power of work before Melbourne United prevailed 82-68.

The JackJumpers were already up against it when they arrived at John Cain Arena for the Play-In Qualifier on Thursday night without Will Magnay, Ben Ayre, Sean Macdonald, Bryce Hamilton and Nick Stoddart.

However, nothing was going to stop coach Scott Roth getting the most out of his players they did have available and with the starting five ending up playing 184 of the available 200 minutes, they gave themselves a shot at keeping their season alive.

By three quarter-time, the JackJumpers were only a point behind but things did slip away in the fourth quarter including one of those five starters, Majok Deng, fouling out with 2:45 to play.

Melbourne ended up outscoring Tasmania 26 points to 13 in the last term to win and end the season of the JackJumpers, but not without a fighting performance against the odds that every Tasmanian should be proud of.

By the end of the game, the five starters played all but 18 of the 200 minutes the game went for and scored 68 of the points the JackJumpers managed to go with the team finishing with 15 offensive rebounds and just the seven turnovers.

Nick Marshall played all 40 minutes and finished with 20 points, six rebounds and two assists with David Johnson out there for almost 38 minutes and having 16 points, three rebounds and two assists.

Josh Bannan also played just under 36 minutes for 16 points and five rebounds with Tyger Campbell playing 35:50 for 12 points, six assists and four assists, and Deng 33:33 before fouling out for four points and nine rebounds.

Finn Delany ended up top-scoring for Melbourne with 33 points on 13/19 shooting while former JackJumper Milton Doyle delivered 19 points, six assists and five rebounds with 5/9 three-point shooting.

Melbourne did get off to a good start with threes from Tyson Walker and Finn Delany helping them to an 8-4 lead but then the JackJumpers showed their grit by going on an 11-0 run.

That included a triple from Josh Bannan and an and-one from David Johnson as they opened up a 15-8 advantage, but Melbourne had that back to 17-15 by quarter-time thanks to a late three-pointer from Tanner Krebs.

United kept that momentum going to start the second quarter with the opening seven points topped off by a triple from Krebs as the home team built a five-point advantage.

It took the JackJumpers almost three minutes to score in the quarter but they did do enough to stay within striking distance even with Melbourne outscoring them 25-14 for the term including former JackJumpers putting up his only eight points up to that stage.

United were on top 40-31 by half-time and were up eight still late in the third quarter, but the JackJumpers were hanging in there and set up a big finish with eight straight points.

That started with Majok Deng making his first bucket of the game and by three quarter-time it was Melbourne only clinging to the 56-55 lead.

United then started the final period strongly with a 13-4 run that included three balls from Doyle, Krebs and Delany, and then Doyle nailed another to stretch the lead further as they ended up wearing down the JackJumpers to win by 14.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL FINALS 2025/26 – PLAY-IN QUALIFIER

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 68 (Marshall 20, Bannan 16, Johnson 16)

MELBOURNE UNITED 82 (Delany 33, Doyle 19, Krebs 11)

BOX SCORE https://www.nbl.com.au/matches/melbourne-united-v-tasmania-jackjumpers-men-05-03-2026