Rd16: Tasmania JackJumpers v South East Melbourne Phoenix

Rd 16  –Tasmania JackJumpers v South East Melbourne Phoenix   

NBL Heritage Round

Wednesday 18^th Jan - 7.30pm AEDT

Doors open – 6.30pm AEDT

Launceston Silverdome (SOLD OUT)

Watch LIVE on ESPN via Kayo and Foxtel

Game Day Partner – GAP Tasmania

State of Play

The JackJumpers come off a big win over Adelaide, in arguably the club’s best performance in their short history. With a couple of rest days and a solid practice session, which was further bolstered by NBA Champion Dirk Nowitzki’s visit, the JackJumpers should be primed for a solid performance in the Northern home.

South East Melbourne are coming off a surprise loss to Brisbane and their play-offs chances now hang in the balance after dropping to 7^th on the table. Mitch Creek and the Phoenix will be desperate to keep their W tally ticking over and get back into the top 6 with just 4 regular season games to play.

Last time they met  

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 13 – January 1, 2023, MyState Bank Arena

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 99 (Doyle 25, White 18, Magette 14)

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX 74 (Williams 21, Creek 18, Madut 8)

An undermanned Phoenix had no answers for the JackJumpers on the first day of the new year.

After conceding seven of the game's first nine points, Tasmania put together a tremendously dominant performance and it was all on the back of controlling the possession game which has become their trademark.

The JackJumpers forced the Phoenix into 25 turnovers for the game and scored 32 points off those, while also winning the rebound count 47 to 39. 

Milton Doyle once again led the charge for the JackJumpers with 25 points, seven assists and six steals on 10/16 shooting.

SRT Coaches’ take

Head Coach Scott Roth said of the Phoenix “to me they’re in the top two talented teams in the League, from top to bottom with the players they have over there. There’s just no easy games, we’ll have our hands full and we’ll have to fight and scrap and do what we can to win up there in Launceston. We’ll look at the match ups with their key players, Creek, Trey Kell, Adnam, they’re talent runs deep and they’ll be desperate to win and fight for their season”.

Ins & outs 

JackJumpers will keep the same squad as Round 16.

Phoenix will likely be at full strength with no injuries reported from their Round 15 loss to Brisbane.  

Opponents on the Radar 

Centre Alan Williams was his usual dominant self in the paint against the Bullets last night  – however early foul trouble restricted him to just 21 minutes for the game. He was Phoenix’s best player last time the JackJumpers met SEM with 21 points.