JackJumpers stay tough to overrun United

The Tasmania JackJumpers took the very best shots from Melbourne United's star backcourt trio and despite trailing virtually all evening, showed their trademark grit and snatched a 94-90 Saturday night victory.

The JackJumpers have enjoyed their time against United so far in the NBL including winning last season's semi-final match up, but at John Cain Arena it appeared Melbourne's backcourt was going to deliver the home team an important win.

Chris Goulding lit it up with 13 points in the first quarter with three triples before Xavier Rathan-Mayes took over in the second to go into the half with 11 points and five assists with United up six.

Rayjon Tucker was then the dominant force for much of the second half including two massive throwdowns and a huge block on Rashard Kelly.

Melbourne led by as much as 12 in the third period and still by five late in the fourth, but Tasmania just refused to go away.

Milton Doyle proved the hero late with the two biggest baskets of the game to see the JackJumpers snatch the lead for the first time since the game's opening stages and then go on to secure the four-point win.
Melbourne will be kicking themselves. Tucker finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals, and shot 9/13, Goulding had 21 points on 5/9 three-point shooting, and Rathan-Mayes delivered 20 points, six assists and shot 4/6 from deep.

As a team, United shot 56 per cent from the floor and hit 9/21 from three-point range, but they still lost the ball game. The JackJumpers forced Melbourne into 16 turnovers which helped them take 10 extra field goals and nine more free-throws.

Doyle ended up with 23 points for Tasmania including the clutch baskets with Jack McVeigh adding 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks.

Sean Macdonald had a career-best 14 points and five rebounds with Josh Magette adding 12 points and two steals, and Rashard Kelly 12 points and three assists.

Tasmania coach Scott Roth couldn’t be prouder once again of the fighting qualities his group showed.

"In the huddle going into the fourth quarter we said we wanted to hold them to 15 points and I look down here and we held them to 15 in that quarter," Roth said.

"Our MO is going to be a defensive minded team but really it's about defending the island, and being a grit and grind team. I'm incredibly proud of the fight these guys have in them and how they never gave up.

"It's not always pretty but the people in Tasmania expect us to fight like this, win or lose, so I'm very proud of our group." 

It was a sloppy start from Melbourne with three quick turnovers, but then Chris Goulding warmed up and hit their first seven points for the 7-2 advantage.

Clint Steindl steadied Tasmania with a three ball of his own before it became a three-point party with Goulding hitting another and Xavier Rathan-Mayes connecting too while Milton Doyle hit a pair of them for the JackJumpers.

Rashard Kelly also landed one from deep to keep things close but Melbourne closed the quarter with a third to Goulding as he went to 13 points. Rayjon Tucker completed a three-point play with United up 31-23 after one on the back of going 12/15 from the field and 4/6 from long range.

Tucker and Marcus Lee then combined to give Melbourne the first four points of the second quarter to push the lead out to 12 but Tasmania worked back into it with a 6-0 run including a couple of buckets to Jack McVeigh.

The JackJumpers went on another 13-3 run soon after to make it a one-point ball game with Sean Macdonald completing an and-one and hitting one from beyond the arc.

That took Macdonald to 10 points for the half but United stayed on top with a dunk to Lee and another three to Rathan-Mayes to lead 53-47 at the break still shooting 64 per cent despite the 10 turnovers.

Melbourne pushed its lead back out to double-figures in the first two minutes of the second half leading to a lightning quick Scott Roth timeout.

He got a response with a couple of buckets to Doyle and pair of threes from Josh Magette, but Rathan-Mayes was keeping United on top with two more three balls to go to 18 points.

Goulding then scored his first points since the first quarter with another long ball, but the JackJumpers responded once more with the next seven points and it was just a four-point ball game by three quarter-time.

A McVeigh three-pointer to start the fourth made it a one-point game again before Tucker responded with two more impressive baskets up the other end to steady United back to a five-point edge.

Goulding hit another three before a massive Tucker dunk over Will Magnay. He let the Tasmania big man know all about it too with the margin growing to seven with seven minutes on the clock.

As they've built their reputation on, though, the JackJumpers didn’t go away and with two minutes to play had it back to a one-point game. 

Doyle then delivered two massive finishes, including converting one into a three-point play to give Tasmania its first lead since he scored the game's first basket. That proved enough for the JackJumpers to snatch the win in the ultimate display of their never-say-die attitude.

It was the only game in Round 8 for both teams with the JackJumpers to travel to Brisbane to face the Bullets on Sunday.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 8

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 94 (Doyle 23, McVeigh 17, Macdonald 14) 

MELBOURNE UNITED 90 (Tucker 23, Goulding 21, Rathan-Mayes 20)

BOX SCORE