By Darren Snowdon
Tasmania have emerged as one of the hottest teams in the NBL after running up their highest-ever score in a 103-72 thumping of Perth to secure their fourth win on the trot.
Returning home after claiming an impressive road double in Adelaide and Melbourne last round, the JackJumpers rocked the visitors at MyState Bank Arena on Saturday with an exhilarating display at both ends of the floor to continue a stunning recovery from a 0-3 start to the season.
Rashard Kelly of the JackJumpers drives to the basket during the round 3 match.Credit:Getty
Tasmania connected on 17-of-35 three-pointers, including 6-of-8 in the second quarter as part of a 34-17 blitz to build a 16-point lead at the main break, while their swarming team defence left Perth flustered for large patches of the game.
The home side refused to let up after halftime by restricting Perth to 12 points in the third quarter as they built an insurmountable 79-52 lead before going on to top 100 points in a game for the first time in their brief history.
While pleased with the offensive output, JackJumpers coach Scott Roth took more pleasure out of his squad’s efforts on the defensive side of the ball.
“To keep a team like that in that range, in the seventies, is just an incredible effort by our guys,” Roth said after Tasmania’s record-setting win.
“It’s obviously nice to see the ball go through and I think it was maybe an unusual shooting night where you have that high percentage and a lot of stuff was working for us. But I loved our intent defensively more than anything else, to be honest with you.”
Fresh off signing a two-year extension to stay with the JackJumpers, Jack McVeigh scored a game-high 17 points while imports Milton Doyle (15 points, 10 rebounds) and Josh Magette (11 points, 10 assists) both finished with a double-double.
Unheralded guard Matt Kenyon typified the JackJumpers’ defensive intensity, keeping Perth danger man Bryce Cotton quiet for the majority of the game, while also hitting four three-pointers to finish with a career-best 14 points.
With forward TaShawn Thomas returning from a two-game absence due to an ankle injury, Perth made a promising start with Corey Webster’s late triple setting up a narrow 23-22 lead after one quarter.
But a 12-2 start to the second term from the JackJumpers proved to be a turning point as McVeigh and Doyle thrilled the home crowd by knocking down a series of long-range shots.
Perth coach John Rillie admitted his side lost their way after Tasmania’s second-quarter run.
“They played with great purpose and intent, we couldn’t create that momentum ourselves on offence,” Rillie said after Perth’s second loss of the season.
“When you turn the ball over, or you give them a number of opportunities to score, it’s tough to get any momentum and that’s where, you know, they really embrace the game and turned it into their game.”
