Cairns Taipans 69 (Scott Zimmerman 21 points 7 rebounds, Majok Deng 9 points)
defeated by
Tasmania JackJumpers 85 (Josh Adams 20 points 5 rebounds, Jack McVeigh 13, Fabian Krslovic 13 points 4 rebounds)
Boxscore
Match Summary
The Tasmania JackJumpers have kept their finals chances alive with an impressive 85-69 win over the Taipans in Cairns. The win moves them to 9 wins and 9 losses for the season, just two wins behind Sydney (11-7) and Illawarra (11-7).
“It was little bit of a statement win. Anytime you win on the road in this league is extremely hard and this building is hard to play in,” Scott Roth said post game.
“It was a great team win, a great team effort across the board, everyone contributed.”
The JackJumpers were led by Josh Adams’ 20 points, although it was a team performance, with five players scoring in double figures. But it was on the defensive end that Tasmania won the game, giving Cairns no easy possessions as they struggled getting poinst on the scoreboard.
Missing Nate Jawai and Tahjere McCall, the Taipans game was run through Scott Machado. His impact on the game was limited thanks to the combined defensive efforts of Matt Kenyon and Sam McDaniel. Who held Machado to seven points on 2/10 shooting and four turnovers.
The Taipans held a four point lead after the first quarter. With both teams had struggling offensively it appeared we were headed for low scoring scrappy game, similar to the last time these teams met.
However, Tasmania turned that narrative in the 2nd quarter with a barrage of three point baskets. After opening with 1/7 from outside, they exploded for 6 of 9 threes on their way to a 24-9 second quarter. It wasn’t the usual suspects either, with Krslovic and Kenyon consistently finding themselves open from outside and hitting shots.
Kenyon from the corner! (Via Weeks and MiKyle!)
— Tasmania JackJumpers 🐜 (@JackJumpers) March 11, 2022
Have you tuned in yet? Don’t delay! @ESPNAusNZ @kayosports @Foxtel pic.twitter.com/W9MEtajJhH
A shorthanded Cairns were unable to match Tasmania from outside, but its advantage was inside the paint. With Will Magnay still out injured, Cairns Steve Zimmerman was running a clinic in the paint. Despite double teaming him when he received the ball in the post, the Big Zimm was mounting a one man comeback. Struggling to match it with the big man, Tasmania worked on getting Zimmerman out of the paint, preventing the passes getting to him, and forcing Cairns into outside shots. Cairns coach Adam Forde commented “Zimm should of had 30 shots tonight”.
“We ran stuff and Tassie adjusted, and we just go away and we panick. Like he was 9 of 12 [from the field] he should of been 20 of 30” Adam Forde said.
Tasmania kept to its gameplan in the second half, and stretched the lead to as much as 21 before Cairns threatened to bring the game down into single figures early in the forth quarter.
But solid plays from Adams, Magette and Steindl that saw them attack the basket or take the open mid range shot held off any late game heroics. The 16 point margin was JackJumpers largest away victory in thier short history.
Our man Magette with a 3 🙌🙌
— Tasmania JackJumpers 🐜 (@JackJumpers) March 11, 2022
Tune in 📺 @ESPNAusNZ @kayosports @Foxtel pic.twitter.com/xb2HKGushX
“Credit to Tassie, they outworked us in every category. They set screens better than us, they rebounded better than us, they shot a lot of mid-range’s and they got to the rim” Adam Forde said post game.
Embed from Getty ImagesKey take aways from the game
Rebounding
Both teams were missing key bigs, but Tasmania still won the rebounding count comfortably 39-29. Bairstow and Krslovic combined for 7 offensive rebounds, and led secound chance points 11-0.
Three point shooting
Tasmania bounced back from 3 or 27 shooting from outside last week to 13 of 30 tonight.
Fabolous Fab
Filling Magnay’s shoes is a tough ask for anyone, but Krysolvich has his best game as a Jackjumper facing his former team in Cairns. He finished the game with13 points and four rebounds, including three bombs from downtown.
Finals?
They are still a couple of games out of 4th spot but are trending in the right direction. The win over Cairns now takes them to 7-3 in their last 10 games.
Next up – A short break for Tasmania before the face Illawarra in Hobart on Sunday afternoon.
