JackJumpers beat Snakes in Teal Game

The Tasmania JackJumpers have finished their season which ends their NBL championship defence with a strong showing in their Teal Game at home to beat the Cairns Taipans 90-83.

The game is always one of the most meaningful nights of the season for the JackJumpers at MyState Bank Arena. They honoured the occasion in honour of Jo Harris and the SHE Foundation by overcoming the Taipans for the seven-point win to snap a six-game losing run.

Both teams might have been destined to stay seventh and last respectively no matter the result on the last day of the regular season, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t plenty to play for.

Not only did Tasmania want to finish on a high in front of their home fans and avoid ending their championship defence with seven straight losses, but to mark the occasion.

It was their annual Teal Game which is a cause close to the heart of the club in support of raising critical awareness and funds for gynaecological cancers through the SHE (support, hope, education) Foundation.

The JackJumpers were wearing teal uniforms in recognition and Milton Doyle put up 12 points in the first quarter to fire them to a lead by as much as 19 in the first half.

The Taipans wouldn’t go away, though, and eventually made their first three of the game halfway through the third quarter.

It was just a five-point game at three quarter-time but the JackJumpers blew it open to start the final period with the first six points, and then three-pointers to Nick Stoddart and Jordon Crawford to set up the win.

While the JackJumpers championship defence is now over, they have only missed the top six on percentage at 13-16 despite barely having a full squad all season and starting at 3-8.

They finished with 19 points from the 16 Cairns turnovers, 21 fast break points and did well to limit the Taipans to shooting 3/27 from three-point territory.

Doyle didn’t add to his 12 points but had four rebounds, three steals and two assists while Majok Deng top-scored with 21 points and seven rebounds with Crawford adding 19 points and four assists, and Anthony Drmic 12 points, five rebounds and four assists.

"To get this one across the line for our fans ... was tremendous," JackJumpers coach Scott Roth said after the win.

"We've been knocked around a bit, but in the 29th game of our season we still had a chance to be in there.

"Obviously that was going to be the long shot of all long shots, but it's a great credit to the players."

The Taipans finish their season with an 8-21 record but it's been an encouraging late patch winning five of the last 10 games after snapping that 15-game losing streak.

Tanner Groves delivered 17 points and eight rebounds with Taran Armstrong adding 16 points, five boards and four assists in his home state, Alex Higgins-Titsha 15 points and four rebounds, and Sam Waardenburg 12 points.

"We had some really good looks that didn't drop for us," Taipans coach Adam Forde said.

"It just seemed like everything was a struggle out there to get the scoreboard ticking over."

Milton Doyle started on fire for the JackJumpers starting with an and-one before knocking down a pair of three-pointers to put his team on top 11-7.

Cairns answered with the next seven points before Tasmania hit the next six and by the end of the first quarter it was the JackJumpers on top 26-20 with 12 points from Doyle and six straight late in the piece from Anthony Drmic once he hit the floor.

Doyle didn’t add to his scoring in the second quarter but the JackJumpers started on fire with a 12-1 run including a triple from Ian Hummer and plus-one plays from Majok Deng and Jordon Crawford.

Tasmania's lead got out to as much as 19 points but the Taipans dug deep and scored eight straight points, and closed the half on an 18-7 run to cut the JackJumpers lead to 49-41 at the half.

Tasmania did again lead by as much as 10 during the third quarter, but the Taipans eventually hit their first three of the game after 14 straight misses thanks to Kyrin Galloway.

The JackJumpers were clinging to the 65-60 lead at three quarter-time but the home team opened up on fire in the fourth quarter with six quick points, then three balls to Nick Stoddart and Crawford with the lead out to 13.

Cairns kept fighting but a triple from Crawford with five minutes to go had the home team back up 11 and from there they went on to score the seven-point victory to the delight of another sold out crowd.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2024/25

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 90 (Deng 21, Crawford 19, Drmic 12, Doyle 12)

CAIRNS TAIPANS 83 (Groves 17, Armstrong 16, Higgins-Titsha 15)

BOX SCORE