Rd 7 Report | JackJumpers overrun by Kings

Top spot went on the line, no more than eight points ever separated the two teams, and after the Tasmania JackJumpers were in a winning position, the Sydney Kings outscored them from there 12-2 for the 71-68 victory.

The two teams came into the match up at the Silverdome in Launceston as the top two teams in the NBL with the Kings playing their third game on the road this week with the JackJumpers playing for the first time since completing three matches themselves in six days last Wednesday.

The JackJumpers went up eight in the first quarter and then were leading 66-59 inside the last three minutes to look to have the game on their terms, but they couldn’t quite finish it out.

Sydney ended up scoring 12 of the game's last 14 points to secure the three-point win to see the JackJumpers now hold a 6-3 record in second place and having won just two of 11 games so far in Launceston.

The JackJumpers finished the game pulling down 14 offensive rebounds with Josh Bannan and Will Magnay combining for nine of those, but could never fully take advantage with the 32 per cent field goal shooting along with 9/30 from the outside and 17/29 at the foul line.

The JackJumpers then also lost David Johnson to a calf injury in the first half while Ben Gold was battling through a foot injury with Ben Ayre, Majok Deng and Bryce Hamilton still unavailable.

Dakota Mathias ended up top scoring once more with 20 points, three assists and three rebounds with 4/9 three-point shooting while he did go 6/6 at the free-throw line. The only problem was the rest of the team went 11/23.

Josh Bannan was doing a power of work to have 11 points, 11 rebounds and five assists with his work on the offensive glass impressive.

Captain Will Magnay also had nine points, 14 rebounds, three assists and while he was only credited with one block, he was much more effective in that regard than that suggests.

Taran Armstrong also had 13 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals, Nick Marshall nine points and five rebounds, and Kody Stattmann two points and three rebounds, including two that were offensive.

The Kings were playing a third road game in six days while the JackJumpers were playing for the first time in eight days, but by the end of the first quarter they couldn't be separated at 19-19.

Tasmania started well for an early eight-point lead but Sydney responded by forcing the JackJumpers into four turnovers to win the possession battle and get scores back level.

Tasmania then went cold in the second quarter, adding just 12 points on 2/14 shooting from the field and 1/6 from the outside, along with 7/14 from the foul line.

That saw Sydney leading 37-31 by half-time and the Kings started to look understandably exhausted in the third quarter.

Sydney managed just 13 points in the quarter on 4/16 shooting and the JackJumpers had lost David Johnson to injury, but worked on top with late threes from Nick Marshall and Dakota Mathias before three quarter-time to be leading 55-50.

It was hard work, but gradually the JackJumpers pulled further away and the offensive rebounding was becoming the biggest part of the game as they went up seven once more midway through the final period.

But Sydney refused to lie down and went on an 8-0 run inside the last two minutes capped off by a huge three from Makuach Maluach after a Cooks offensive rebound to hit the lead once more.

The JackJumpers did get back within one with 5.2 seconds left but the Kings got it done for a three-point win to wrap up their road trip.

Having not played since last Wednesday night, the JackJumpers now have the super quick turnaround to playing the South East Melbourne Phoenix at John Cain Arena on Sunday.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2026/27 | ROUND 7

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 68 lost to Sydney Kings 71

The Silverdome (Launceston), Friday October 30

Dakota Mathias | 20 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
Taran Armstrong | 13 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
Josh Bannan | 11 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists
Will Magnay | 9 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists
Nick Marshall | 9 points, 5 rebounds
David Johnson | 4 points, 2/3 FG
Kody Stattmann | 2 points, 3 rebounds Ben Gold | 2 rebounds