Magnay spearheads JackJumpers to Playoffs

A Will Magnay-inspired Tasmania JackJumpers flexed their muscle to surge past the Illawarra Hawks 92-76 and progress to the next stage of the NBL finals. 

Magnay notched a career-high 25 points in a physical encounter at a sold out MyState Bank Arena in Hobart.

The 25-year-old big man also picked up 10 rebounds and four blocks in an outstanding 30 minutes on court. 

Magnay surpassed his previous career-best of 23, notched five years ago for the Brisbane Bullets.

Tasmania opened up an 18-point lead midway through the second term before the Hawks clawed their way back to trail by seven heading into the final quarter. 

In front of a raucous crowd, the JackJumpers piled on 22-13 in the fourth. 

They next play second-placed Perth Wildcats in a best-of-three playoff for a shot to make the best-of-five Championship Series. 

The JackJumpers have made the finals in each of their three seasons in the NBL.

The Hawks meanwhile have a sudden death Play-In showdown with the winner of the Sydney Kings and New Zealand Breakers clash.

Gary Clark, who tweaked an ankle early, was gallant for Illawarra with a team-high 21 points.

Tasmania lost Marcus Lee in the first play of the game to a left shoulder injury when the center came off second best in a collision with Sam Froling. 

Magnay started on fire, scoring 11 points and picking up five rebounds in the first quarter as the JackJumpers opened up a 29-17 lead. 

Clark notched back-to-back threes in the second quarter as the Hawks reduced the gap to 51-44 at half-time. 

Tasmania's Jack McVeigh, who top-scored with 26 points, copped an unsportsmanlike foul in the third quarter for dropping a shoulder into rookie Lachlan Olbrich on the ground. 

Illawarra were just 10 from 19 at the free-throw line, with Olbrich missing all four of his unsportsmanlike foul shots.

Tasmania's Milton Doyle was quiet on the scoresheet with just five points but had a game-high 10 assists. 

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEEDING QUALIFIER

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 92 (McVeigh 26, Magnay 25, Crawford 20)

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 76 (Clark 21, Harvey 15, Froling 10)

BOX SCORE