Doyle, Deng the heroes in JackJumpers OT win

Never write off the Tasmania JackJumpers and they produced one of their more remarkable NBL victories with an offensive rebound and score from Milton Doyle delivering the 104-103 overtime win over the Adelaide 36ers.

With Will Magnay already out for the season and now Sean Macdonald joining him, the odds were stacked against the JackJumpers and with just over a minute to play at MyState Bank Arena, they were seven points down to the 36ers.

Tasmania delivered a stunning finish to regulation with a layup to Ian Hummer, dunk to Majok Deng and then inexplicably the 36ers threw the ball away in the back court to allow Deng to hit the game tying three.

That saw the game head to overtime with Adelaide overcoming a four-point deficit before five straight points from Montrezl Harrell and Kendric Davis.

The JackJumpers kept on fighting and on the last play, Deng missed a good look and eventually it was Doyle who finished on the putback for the post remarkable of one-point overtime wins.

The JackJumpers made a tremendous start with 30 points in the first quarter and with nine of those in three-pointers from development player Nick Stoddart.

He was making his first start in the absence of Macdonald and the JackJumpers were still up nine early in the second term, but then the 36ers took complete control closing the half with a 28-7 run.

Adelaide got to the line 16 times in the second period alone and combined with shooting 9/15 to 4/23 from Tasmania, the visitors were in control leading 53-41 at the half.

Tasmania just wouldn’t go away and found a win that shows what heart and spirit they have to stay solid in the top six at 12-10 with Deng delivering his best performance for Tasmania with 26 points and eight rebounds.

Doyle added 22 points and nine assists, Anthony Drmic 16 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals, and Jordon Crawford 13 points and eight assists.

"It's a remarkable win," JackJumpers coach Scott Roth said.

"A team with high-character guys who are humble, hungry and do the right things - you'll go to bat with them any time.

"This is one of the greatest games I've ever been part of and without question the best home game ever in this building."

It will be a loss that the 36ers will take some time to figure out how they let it slip as they fall to 9-12 despite the 39 points, seven assists and five rebounds from Davis.

Isaac Humphries also had 21 points and 10 rebounds, Harrell 19 points, nine boards and seven assists, and DJ Vasiljevic 12 points, four rebounds and four assists.

"I thought we had control of the game for the majority of that contest and probably had it won multiple times," Sixers coach Mike Wells said.

"But unfortunately we didn't make a play at the end.

"This is a painful one."

It was almost basket for basket in a high-scoring opening to the contest before Tasmania got on a roll beginning with a three-pointer from Anthony Drmic.

Nick Stoddart then made the most of his first career start with a three ball as well and the JackJumpers turned that into a 9-0 run to lead 20-13.

Isaac Humphries scored Adelaide's last seven points for 11 in the quarter, but the JackJumpers got two more threes from Stoddart.

Tasmania were leading 30-22 by the end of one and then were still on top 34-25 early in the second term, but the home team couldn’t keep it going and the Sixers soon took control.

The 36ers scored the next 11 points to grab the lead and then DJ Vasiljevic capped off another 7-0 run with a three-pointer.

The Sixers kept the momentum going with the last eight points of the half with all of them coming at the foul line as they went into the break having outscored the JackJumpers 28 points to seven.

Tasmania shot themselves back into the contest with three-pointers from Drmic, Majok Deng, Deng again and then Jordon Crawford in the third quarter, but the 36ers did maintain a nine-point lead by three quarter-time.

The JackJumpers then fought right back into the contest to start the fourth quarter and when they went on a 13-3 run that included triples to Ian Hummer and Clint Steindl, it was a one-point ball game and the home team had all the momentum.

Davis answered with a three ball himself for Adelaide and soon hit another to push the lead back out to seven, but the JackJumpers managed the last seven points to force overtime in spectacular fashion.

The last five minutes were dramatic and it was a 5-0 run for Tasmania from Deng and Drmic that had them up four before Davis scored for Adelaide and Harrell completed a three-point play, but the offensive rebound on the buzzer sealed the JackJumpers win from Doyle.

The JackJumpers' hectic schedule continues when they host the fresh Perth Wildcats who will regain Kristian Doolittle on Sunday while the Sixers are back home to host the Illawarra Hawks on Monday.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2024/25

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 104 (Deng 26, Doyle 22, Drmic 16)

ADELAIDE 36ERS 103 (Davis 39, Humphries 21, Harrell 19)

BOX SCORE