JackJumpers conjure NBL escape on contentious foul

Steve Barrett | October 4, 2025

A contentious offensive foul on Tyrell Harrison in the dying seconds has secured the Tasmanian JackJumpers a gripping 84-82 NBL victory over the Brisbane Bullets.

When captain Will Magnay threw down a wide-open dunk with 33 seconds remaining at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Saturday night, the JackJumpers moved ahead 83-82 with the 17th and last lead change of the match.

Brisbane big man Tohi Smith-Milner missed a three at the other end with 14 seconds left but Jaylen Adams soared for the offensive rebound.

Adams dished to Harrison, who converted in the paint, but the score was waived away after the referees called it a charge, the Bullets centre making shoulder contact with Magnay, who went sprawling to the floor.

“There is no doubt there was contact,” Australian basketball legend Andrew Gaze said in commentary.

“(But) clearly the contact was exaggerated.”

Bullets coach Stu Lash took a subtle dig at the call, which came soon after Tasmania’s Josh Bannan wasn’t penalised on a similar play at the other end.

“I’m never one that’s going to make excuses and comment on specific calls,” Lash said.

“It’s a hard game to referee.

“All you really want is communication and consistency, and maybe that wasn’t completely there tonight.”

Bannan (23 points, 15 rebounds) was immense, while first-game import TJ Starks (18 points) fuelled the fightback from the undermanned JackJumpers, down David Johnson (calf), Majok Deng (hamstring) and Sean Macdonald (knee).

Adams (19 points, seven assists) and surprise starter Taine Murray (17 points) led the way for Brisbane, similarly undermanned without Casey Prather, Javon Freeman-Liberty (ankle), Mitch Norton (knee) and Sam McDaniel (knee).

The win advanced Tasmania to 3-1 with all three wins coming on the road.

Magnay and Bannan created early havoc in the paint as the JackJumpers moved ahead 20-14, before the Bullets hit back to pinch the lead on a 12-2 run either side of quarter-time.

After Magnay’s steal and dunk briefly put Tasmania back in front, Brisbane regained control and led 45-42 at half-time.

The JackJumpers were dominating the boards 24-13 but were having problems stopping Brisbane’s guards Adams and Murray, who had 12 first-half points, having previously never hit a single field goal in the NBL.

Behind their hustling defence, the Bullets scored the last 12 points of the third stanza to move ahead 66-58 at the last break before Starks sparked the Tasmanian rearguard.

“I don’t know if we deserved to win or not – we made the right plays at the right time,” JackJumpers coach Scott Roth said.

“I thought they were the dominant team throughout most of that game. We had some poise when we needed it.”