Rd 5 Report | JackJumpers lose tight one to 36ers

The Tasmania JackJumpers opened a double-figure lead in the hunt for a fourth straight win on Friday, but despite strong performances again from Taran Armstrong and Will Magnay, the Adelaide 36ers had Bryce Cotton and prevailed 94-88.

The JackJumpers were back home at MyState Bank Arena sitting on top of the NBL having won three in-a-row and with the state on a high after the Jewels' WNBL win in the same building the night before.

The home team started well to be leading 22-14 by quarter-time thanks to a halfcourt prayer on the buzzer from Magnay before going up as much as 10 in the second frame.

But Adelaide hit back to be leading by a point at quarter-time and then by nine at three quarter-time, and by as much as 13 before the JackJumpers hit back to tie scores with two minutes to play.

The 36ers still had the six-time MVP, though, and Cotton hit eight points from that point, and his team secured the six-point victory.

Taran Armstrong had another strong performance for the JackJumpers, with 20 points and 10 assists while playing more than 36 minutes.

Captain Will Magnay had a fascinating battle with Adelaide centre Nick Rakocevic all evening and ended up with another 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and three blocks with 7/9 shooting including another three ball to go with that one on quarter-time form halfway.

Dakota Mathias finished with 14 points and five rebounds, Josh Bannan 13 points, seven boards and two assists, Ben Gold 12 points and seven rebounds, Nick Marshall six points and four boards, and David Johnson four points and two assists.

The JackJumpers were back home sitting in top spot and having won three straight, and made a good start with 22 points to 14 in the first quarter including a half-court buzzer-beater from Will Magnay that went in off the glass.

Tasmania got out to a 10-point lead in the second quarter as well, but Adelaide worked back into the contest, with Bryce Cotton showing the way with 10 points in the term to go into half-time with 16.

Zylan Cheatham also had seven points and seven rebounds while the Sixers put up 26 points to 17 in the quarter to go into half-time with the narrow 40-39 advantage.

Taran Armstrong already had 11 points and five assists for the JackJumpers, with Magnay contributing nine points and two blocks, and Dakota Mathias eight points on 2/3 three-point shooting.

Cotton then kept on rolling with another 11 points in the third period and the Adelaide lead got out to as much as 13.

They were leading 71-62 by three quarter-time despite the 16 points and seven assists for the home team from Armstrong, and 12 points and seven rebounds from Ben Gold.

Nick Marshall scored his first points of the game to start the fourth quarter to bring Tasmania back within six before a three-point play from Magnay had them back within two, and Nick Rakocevic soon picked up his fifth foul in a blow for the 36ers.

Magnay made another strong and-one before Marshall made a second triple of the last term to tie scores up, but the 36ers still had Cotton and he scored the next five points to put his team up by that with 1:21 to go.

Cotton then landed the killer blow in the final minute with another three ball to give the Sixers back-to-back wins with the six-point triumph.

The JackJumpers now have two more home games in quick succession starting against the New Zealand Breakers on Sunday and backing up on Wednesday night in an Ignite Cup match up with the Brisbane Bullets.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2026/27 | ROUND 5
TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 88 lost to Adelaide 36ers 94

MyState Bank Arena, Friday October 16

Taran Armstrong | 20 points, 10 assists, 3 rebounds
Will Magnay | 19 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks
Dakota Mathias | 14 points, 5 rebounds
Josh Bannan | 13 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists
Ben Gold | 12 points, 7 rebounds
Nick Marshall | 6 points, 4 rebounds
David Johnson | 4 points, 2 assists