Round 20 TEAL GAME – Tasmania JackJumpers vs Cairns Taipans

Round 20 (TEAL GAME) – Tasmania JackJumpers vs Cairns Taipans

Saturday 8 Feb, 5.30pm AEDT tip-off

MyState Bank

Live on ESPN

State of Play

The Tasmania JackJumpers will close out the NBL 25 regular season in front of a passionate home crowd this Saturday at MyState Bank Arena, taking on the Cairns Taipans in the annual Teal game that means more than just basketball.

The JackJumpers will be looking to finish the NBL 25 regular season on a high, while the Taipans will be eager to bounce back after a tough loss to the Breakers. Cairns will also be adjusting to the absence of Rob Edwards, one of the league’s top scorers, making for a high-stakes contest as both teams aim to end their campaigns on a strong note.

But beyond the battle on the court, Teal Round is about rallying Tasmania in support of S.H.E (Support, Hope, Education), raising critical awareness and funds for gynecological cancers. Since the partnership began in 2022, the JackJumpers and their fans have raised over $150,000 for S.H.E, helping drive their mission to build a Cancer Wellness Centre in Tasmania.

The JackJumpers will take the court in specially designed teal jerseys, continuing their tribute to Jo Harris, the inspiration behind this initiative, and reinforcing their commitment to making a difference.

With an electric home crowd behind them and a cause bigger than the game itself, the JackJumpers will be aiming to close out the season in style.

This year, fans can show their support by:

• Bidding in the Online Auction & Purchasing Virtual Seats – Purchase Now
• The auction will feature player-worn jerseys and shooting shirts, team-signed memorabilia, and items donated by players and the public - Bid Now
• Purchasing a Replica Teal Jersey online or at MyState Bank Arena
• Visiting Donation Stations, where donations over $30 receive a limited-edition teal cap
• Waving Teal Rally Towels, gifted to all attendees by Chemist Warehouse & Nivea

Last Time they met

Round 5 - Thursday 5 December – MyState Bank Arena

The Tasmania JackJumpers extended their winning streak to four with a hard-fought 99-90 victory over the Cairns Taipans at MyState Bank Arena. Despite coming in on a nine-game losing streak, the Taipans showed resilience and made the JackJumpers work for the result.

Tasmania started strong, scoring the first seven points, but Cairns quickly settled and led by two at halftime. The game remained tight, with Cairns shooting 55% from the field and putting up 54 points in the first half—an uncharacteristic defensive lapse from the JackJumpers.

Head Coach Scott Roth credited the team’s resilience, saying, “The second half kind of swung a little bit towards us. We settled ourselves defensively in some areas and found a way to grind it out.”

Milton Doyle led the scoring with 21 points and eight assists, supported by Majok Deng (17 points, six rebounds) and Sean Macdonald, who hit a clutch three late in the game as part of his 14-point, six-rebound effort. Anthony Drmic’s late triple added to the JackJumpers’ strong finish.

For Cairns, Taran Armstrong stood out with a career-high 29 points, while Sam Waardenburg and Tanner Groves combined for 38 points and nine assists. Their efforts kept the Taipans in contention throughout but ultimately fell short as Tasmania's execution down the stretch proved decisive.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2024/25

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 99 (Doyle 21, Magnay 18, Deng 17)

CAIRNS TAIPANS 90 (Armstrong 29, Waardenburg 19, Groves 19)

BOX SCORE

Injuries

Cairns: Jonah Antonio (Respiratory tract infection) AK Gak (Personal reasons)

Tasmania: Sean Macdonald (Foot) Will Magnay (Fractured toe)