Match Report vs Brisbane Bullets (Round 6 NBL25)

The JackJumpers took to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Saturday night and snapped a three-game losing streak with a gritty 87-79 win over the Brisbane Bullets. Tasmania’s tenacity on defense and timely late-game shooting proved crucial as they locked down the Bullets and showed their champion spirit in a thrilling comeback.

The JackJumpers set the tone early, racing to a 13-1 lead in the opening minutes and holding the Bullets to just nine points over the first 13 minutes. Majok Deng opened the scoring burst with a three-pointer, followed by strong finishes at the rim from Will Magnay and Craig Sword, putting Tasmania up by as much as 19 points. Head Coach Roth emphasized the importance of the team's strong start: “I think we wanted to make a statement early, and the guys did a fantastic job executing the game plan.”

Brisbane managed to claw back into the game by halftime, trailing only by 10, thanks to Mitch Norton’s 20-point effort and contributions from Tohi Smith-Milner and Jarred Bairstow. Coming out of halftime, Brisbane surged back, posting a 30-point third quarter, capped by a Keandre Cook three-pointer to put the Bullets ahead by three at the buzzer. Roth remarked on the resilience of his players: “They didn’t drop their heads. We found a way to make stops and execute down the stretch.”

With the game on the line, the JackJumpers found answers, with Jordon Crawford (16 points, five assists) and Sword nailing back-to-back triples to wrest back the lead in the final minutes. Majok Deng led the way with 16 points and six rebounds, while Milton Doyle added 15 points, six boards, and four assists. Will Magnay was a force inside, tallying 13 points and nine rebounds to keep Brisbane’s bigs at bay.

Roth acknowledged the contributions from everyone on the roster: “Everyone earned their minutes out there and contributed in meaningful ways. It’s great to see that effort pay off.” The team’s defense has been solid over the last several games, which Roth noted as a key factor in their success: “Our defense has remained solid for about five or six of these games. We find a way, and again, it’s great to see these guys working extremely hard.”

With the win, Tasmania moves to a 3-5 record, showcasing their resilience and hunger to compete. Roth expressed satisfaction with the team’s response after recent setbacks: “It must be a good feeling to get that win. We talked about how important it was to stay strong, especially when Brisbane took the lead in the fourth quarter.”

The JackJumpers will look to build on this victory as they return to Launceston to host the South East Melbourne Phoenix on Friday 1 November.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2024/25

BRISBANE BULLETS 79 (Norton 20, Prather 11, Bannan 9)

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 87 (Crawford 16, Deng 16, Doyle 15)

BOX SCORE