Rejuvenated JackJumpers squeeze life out of Snakes
Steve Barrett |
The Tasmania JackJumpers have continued their mid-season NBL resurgence, overcoming a horror start to mow down the Cairns Taipans 81-68.
The JackJumpers conceded the first 13 points at the Cairns Convention Centre on Saturday, before working their way into the contest, then completely taking control in the second half.
Tasmania outscored the Taipans 44-29 after halftime and emphatically won the rebound count 51-31, including 21-5 on the offensive glass.
Josh Bannan posted 20 points and 13 rebounds, while imports Bryce Hamilton and David Johnson had 13 points apiece. Captain Will Magnay hauled in 13 boards.
“We had two really fantastic defensive quarters in the third and the fourth,” JackJumpers coach Scott Roth said.
“Just a really relentless effort across the board for us.”
Jack McVeigh (24 points) and Andrew Andrews (18 points) were easily the Taipans’ best.
Sam Waardenburg, making his long-awaited season debut following ankle surgery, soared for an alley-oop dunk from an Andrews lob for the first score of the game.
The JackJumpers missed their first eight shots before finally getting on the board when Hamilton hit a three at the 5:08 mark.
Waardenburg sent a scare through the Cairns camp in his comeback match when, after crashing to the ground on a missed drive, he punched an LED display in frustration.
He sat out the last five minutes of the second stanza to have his bruised, bleeding right hand treated before returning after halftime.
The Taipans’ 21-13 quarter-time lead was slashed to 39-37 at the main break as Bannan got going after a rough start.
Bannan then spearheaded an 11-0 Tassie burst in the third quarter to give the visitors their first lead of the game, and they led 60-54 at three-quarter time.
The JackJumpers destroyed the Snakes on the offensive glass 16-3 across the middle two quarters.
Cairns briefly drew level early in the fourth quarter, before capitulating at both ends down the stretch.
“We were just constantly getting outworked and outmuscled on the rebounding,” Taipans coach Adam Forde said, noting his side had 18 less shot attempts because of Tasmania’s constant second chances.
“It’s always going to be tough when you lose the possession game.
“We’re making brain-fade mistakes and it’s not good.”
AAP
