JackJumpers make it seven straight on Xmas

Jordon Crawford scored another 26 points with six three-pointers off the bench with the Tasmania JackJumpers celebrating Christmas Day at home with the 97-82 win over the New Zealand Breakers.

Since the return from injury of Sean Macdonald, Crawford has been coming off the bench and the JackJumpers made it seven straight wins in that time while the Breakers slumped to an eighth consecutive defeat.

It was the second straight year that the JackJumpers hosted a Christmas game at MyState Bank Arena but the two teams came into the contest in wildly contrasting recent form.

After starting the season 3-8 as defending champions, Tasmania had won six straight including beating Melbourne United on the road on Monday.

New Zealand, meanwhile, have gone winless in all seven matches since the FIBA break where they replaced Freddie Gillespie with 7'6 centre Tacko Fall.

Precious little separated the two teams most of the evening too with Fall significant in the first half for New Zealand with seven points, five rebounds and two blocks with his team plus-15 in his minutes.

Tasmania were leading at the half 42-39 largely thanks to 16 points with four three-pointers from Crawford despite them not making a free-throw.

New Zealand hurt themselves going 5-of-12 before the JackJumpers did manage to push their lead out to nine by three quarter-time before completing the deal for the 15-point victory.

Tasmania have improved from 3-8 in their championship defence to be 10-8 in fourth position while shooting 12/27 from deep with Crawford making 6/9 for 26 points along with four assists.

Majok Deng stepped up in the absence of Will Magnay (broken toe) with 20 points and seven rebounds on 11/13 free-throw shooting with Reuben Te Rangi delivering another 12 points, and Milton Doyle eight points and five assists.

JackJumpers coach Scott Roth was understandably happy with the seventh straight win.

"It wasn’t pretty and we laid an egg last Christmas but this one seemed to be a little bit better for us," he said.

"I'm a little bit relieved that we were able to wear these uniforms and enjoy ourselves this time as opposed to last time.

"Our guys just kept grinding a way and finding a way, and they just stuck with it long enough."

The Breakers remain second last at 7-11 having lost eight in-a-row while only shooting 4/23 from long-range and 16/28 at the foul line.

Fall finished with 11 points, nine rebounds and three blocks with Parker Jackson-Cartwright top-scoring with 23 points and six assists with Mojave King adding 12 points, three boards and three assists.

Breakers coach Petteri Koponen felt it was a similar story once again.

"It's the same story as against Sydney with us giving effort for 30, 35 minutes but then we start to rush some things and don't make the pass to the open guy, and try to go individually," he said.

"We kind of lost our poise there again and it's something we've talked a lot about during the season because it has been our problem."

The two teams were in vastly contrasting form coming into the Christmas Day spectacle and no more than four points separated them through the first quarter but the JackJumpers managed the last five points through Majok Deng and Anthony Drmic to lead 20-18 at quarter-time.

New Zealand started the second quarter on fire with the first nine points starting with a dunk to Tacko Fall and including Matt Mooney knocking down a three-pointer as they opened up a game-high seven-point edge.

Tasmania responded with 10 of the next 12 points to retake the lead with Jordon Crawford and Clint Steindl also hitting three-pointers in that stretch.

Crawford also made a couple more threes before half-time to go into the break with 16 points for the JackJumpers. The home team were leading 42-39 on 56 per cent shooting despite only taking one free-throw while the Breakers got there 12 times, but only made five.

Fall was having a significant impact for New Zealand with them outscoring Tasmania by 15 with his time on the floor before things remained tight throughout the third quarter.

Just as the Breakers got back level thanks to Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Tasmania closed the term on an 8-2 run to go into three quarter-time leading 64-58 before Crawford pushed it out to nine with three free throws to open the fourth.

Mojave King did bring New Zealand back within four points, but Tasmania continued to have the answers including a three-point play from Milton Doyle before it blew out to the 15-point win.

The JackJumpers remain at home to host the Brisbane Bullets on Sunday while the Breakers don't play again until being on the road to the Cairns Taipans next Tuesday for New Year's Eve.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2024/25

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 97 (Crawford 26, Deng 20, Te Rangi 12)

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 82 (Jackson-Cartwright 23, King 12, Mennenga 11, Fall 11)

BOX SCORE