Rusty Breakers Show Effects of 18 Day Layoff in NBL Return

The Tasmania JackJumpers had all the answers all evening on Boxing Day at MyState Bank Arena to maintain their place in the NBL's top six to beat the returning Sky Sport Breakers 93-82.

The JackJumpers backed up Thursday's 27-point win against the Illawarra Hawks by beating the Breakers by 11 points on Boxing Day to improve to a 10-8 record on the season and retain their spot in the top six.

New Zealand was playing its first game since losing to the Sydney Kings back on December 8, and despite the 18 days in between, they arrived in Hobart minus Will McDowell-White, Rob Loe and Rayan Rupert.

They still battled hard in what was Cam Gliddon's 300th game in the NBL, but the JackJumpers had all the answers every time they were challenged throughout the evening to the delight of their home fans with 4269 people crammed into MyState Bank Arena.

While the Breakers shot 12/26 from three for the game compared with Tasmania's 8/29, the JackJumpers scored 46 points to 24 in the paint along with pulling down a massive 45 rebounds to 29.

That included 16 at the offensive end to six, and forced New Zealand into 18 turnovers from which they scored 20 points.

Josh Magette top-scored for the JackJumpers with 16 points, five rebounds, five steals and four assists with Milton Doyle contributing 14 points, five steals and four assists, and Rashard Kelly 12 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

Jack McVeigh shook off a quiet night for a dominant fourth quarter and to end up with 13 points while Fabijan Krslovic had 14 points and five rebounds all to half-time. Will Magnay continues to build too with nine points, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

Izayah Le'afa produced another impressive performance for the Breakers with 21 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals while connecting on 4/7 from beyond the arc.

Barry Brown Jr and Jarrell Brantley both scored 16 points each with Tom Abercrombie adding 11 points on 3/4 long-range shooting, Dererk Pardon 10 points and eight rebounds, and 300-gamer Gliddon eight points while hitting both three-point attempts.

Much like the first three meetings between the two teams this season, scoring was hard work early on and it wasn’t until late in the opening quarter when the JackJumpers started to build some momentum.

From the moment the Breakers led 10-9, Tasmania took charge to outscore them 18 points to seven the rest of the quarter including a pair of three-pointers to Fabijan Krslovic and other long bombs form Milton Doyle and Josh Magette.

That saw Tasmania lead 27-17 with the home team's lead growing to 12 in the early parts of the second quarter. That was until New Zealand fired back beginning with a triple from Izayah Le'afa.

They couldn’t quite build too much momentum, though, even though Barry Brown Jr's three on the buzzer kept them within 10 at the main break.

Krslovic was terrific with a career-best 14 points and five rebounds in the first half for Tasmania with the JackJumpers winning the possession battle with 27 boards to 16, and 10 at the offensive end to three.

Tasmania scored the first four points of the second half to be back up 14 before Josh Magette stretched it to 16 at the foul line. A couple of triples from Le'afa again kept New Zealand in striking distance but Tasmania continued to have all the answers including five quick Sean Macdonald points.

It was milestone man Cam Gliddon who at least kept New Zealand in touch when he drained a couple of threes on his way to eight points late in the third term, but Tasmania still led 70-59 by three quarter-time.

Rashard Kelly and Doyle maintained a lead over double-digits for Tasmania to start the fourth quarter but New Zealand weren't done yet. A pair of threes to Tom Abercrombie and another to Brown soon had the visitors back within seven with 6:30 to play.

Jack McVeigh steadied Tasmania with a three-pointer and when Magette also hit from deep, the JackJumpers were back up 13 and from there were able to score the 11-point home win.

The Breakers don't play again now until Wednesday January 4 against the Perth Wildcats in New Plymouth, but before that the JackJumpers play the Sydney Kings in a Grand Final rematch in Sydney on Friday night.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 12

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 93 (Magette 16, Doyle 14, Krslovic 14)

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 82 (Le'afa 21, Brown Jr 16, Brantley 16) 

BOX SCORE