Armstrong with the winner for JackJumpers

The Tasmania JackJumpers led by as much as 19 points and pulled down 18 offensive rebounds but it took a game winner from Taran Armstrong with five seconds left for them to ultimately overcome Melbourne United 84-82.

Both teams came into the contest at MyState Bank Arena shorthanded with the JackJumpers missing Majok Deng, Ben Ayre, Anthony Drmic and Bryce Hamilton while United were without Chris Goulding and Shea Ili.

The fouls then mounted all evening with the two teams combining to shoot 72 free throws for the game including 27 in the first quarter and 46 in the opening half.

That meant that Luke Travers, Cole Anthony, Josh Oduro, Josh Bannan, Ben Gold and David Johnson had all fouled out by the time the game was being decided.

Melbourne stormed back from 19 points down to take the lead in the final two minutes, then levelled the scores again with a huge triple from Sam Waardenburg.

In the end, Armstrong, back in his home state this season, lived out a dream by hitting the mid-range jumper with 5.5 seconds to go to put Tasmania up two, and they stayed ahead.

JackJumpers captain Will Magnay celebrated his 100th game with a monster performance: 17 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks, plus 12/14 free-throw shooting.

Johnson finished with 16 points and four rebounds, Dakota Mathias 13 points and nine boards, Armstrong 12 points and six assists, and Gold nine points and eight rebounds.

Melbourne will be kicking themselves after going 11/25 at the foul line in the first half and 25/41 for the game, while also shooting just 5/20 from the outside.

Oduro delivered 22 points and eight rebounds on 8/11 shooting and 6/9 at the stripe, while Joe Ingles showed his craftiness with 18 points and five assists.

Waardenburg ended with 12 points and nine rebounds, Travers 11 points, six assists and five boards, and Anthony 11 points and five rebounds before he got his fifth foul on a technical.

It was a marathon first quarter, with both teams taking 27 free throws; the JackJumpers took better advantage, going 9/14 to United's 5/13.

Tasmania then maintained control through the second quarter and, by half-time, extended that advantage to 52-35, going 15/21 from the foul line to Melbourne's 11/25.

The JackJumpers also pulled down 11 offensive rebounds to two for the half to get up 10 extra shot attempts and by half-time Dakota Mathias had gone 3/5 from deep for 10 points.

Joe Ingles had 12 points and three assists for Melbourne but not enough of his teammates had stepped up.

Josh Oduro did spark Melbourne to open the second half but the JackJumpers again responded and by collecting another six offensive boards for the third frame, the home team went into three quarter-time still on top 68-54.

Melbourne weren't done with yet, though, and did close the deficit to seven early in the fourth quarter before Ben Gold pushed the Tasmania lead back out to 10 with the biggest shot of his young career to date.

That only provided brief relief and Melbourne were soon back within four when Oduro completed a three-point play with five minutes to play.

But still United kept on coming and even after Cole Anthony fouled out with two minutes to go, Travers and Sam Waardenburg both completed three-point plays to put the visitors in front.

Magnay hit a pair of free throws with 30 seconds left for Tasmania to lead 80-79 before Kody Stattmann stepped up to take a huge charge on Oduro on the next possession before Magnay made two more at the line.

There was still time, and Waardenburg tied the game up with a huge three for Melbourne with 14.2 seconds to go before Armstrong had the moment he'd dreamed of, hitting a clutch jumper for his home team.

Malith Machar had a good look at the winning three, but it wouldn’t go in, and the JackJumpers held on for a dramatic two-point win.

Both teams have short turnarounds to playing again on Saturday with the JackJumpers first up away to the Brisbane Bullets before United play host to the Cairns Taipans.

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 84 – MELBOURNE UNITED 82

Tasmania JackJumpers
Will Magnay – 17 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks
Taran Armstrong – 14 points, 6 assists
David Johnson – 14 points, 4 rebounds
Dakota Mathias – 13 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists
Ben Gold – 9 points, 8 rebounds

Melbourne United
Josh Oduro – 22 points, 8 rebounds
Joe Ingles – 18 points, 5 assists
Sam Waardenburg – 12 points, 9 rebounds
Cole Anthony – 11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
Luke Travers – 11 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals