DJ shoots JackJumpers to pivotal win

David Johnson stepped up in the moment of need for the Tasmania JackJumpers with seven three-pointers including the game winner as they got the crucial win to stay clear in sixth spot beating the New Zealand Breakers 91-89.

Sixth position and the last finals position was on the line at MyState Bank Arena on Sunday afternoon and it proved to be quite the thrilling contest between the JackJumpers and Breakers.

Both teams were coming off playing on Friday night too with Tasmania losing in overtime in Cairns and New Zealand winning a thriller at home to Melbourne United just to set the stage.

The JackJumpers were then leading most of the night including by as much as 13 points in the third quarter, but the Breakers kept on fighting.

They got back to the lead with 1:30 to go when Parker Jackson-Cartwright scored and then with 13.5 seconds on the clock, it was Johnson who knocked down his seventh three-pointer of the game.

That ended up being the match winner with the JackJumpers winning by two to now stay clear in sixth place at 13-17 ahead of the now 11-18 Breakers.

Johnson had a spectacular performance with the 7/11 three-point shooting on his way to 33 points while Majok Deng, Tyger Campbell and Josh Bannan all played more than 35 minutes.

Deng finished with 17 points, five rebounds and two blocks, Bannan 16 points, 11 boards and five assists, and Campbell nine points and nine assist with Nick Marshall contributing 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

The job now for the Breakers to reach the finals is tough with four games to go but Izaiah Brockington did all he could with 24 points on 6/7 three-point shooting.

Tai Webster stepped up for 15 points with Parker Jackson-Cartwright adding 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists but on 6/20 shooting while not attempting a single free-throw.

Rob Loe had a significant impact again for New Zealand in the absence of Sam Mennenga and Rob Baker II with eight points and six rebounds with his team +8 in his 27 minutes.

The JackJumpers got off to a strong start despite coming off an overtime loss in Cairns to be up 15-8 early and still leading 25-22 by quarter-time despite the Breakers scoring the last five points.

That lead got out to as much as nine in the second quarter with Johnson going into half-time with 22 points to his name with 4/6 from deep but a buzzer-beating three from Parker Jackson-Cartwright for New Zealand cut the JackJumpers lead to 53-47.

It was a three-point barrage to start the third quarter with Johnson and Nick Marshall hitting one each for the JackJumpers as did Izaiah Brockington, Rob Loe and then Brockington again for the Breakers.

The JackJumpers were able to push out to the first double-figure lead of the season but again the Breakers finished the quarter well to bring Tasmania's lead back to seven at three quarter-time.

New Zealand then scored nine of the first 12 points of the fourth frame to be back within one and they grabbed their first lead of the game with 1:30 with Jackson-Cartwright scoring following a triple from Brockington.

Josh Bannan and Karim Lopez then traded scores before Johnson put Tasmania back up two with his seventh three of the game and that was the game winner when Jackson-Cartwright was off target up the other end.

The JackJumpers remain at home to host the Brisbane Bullets on Friday night while before that, the Breakers take on the South East Melbourne Phoenix at Eventfinda Stadium (formerly North Shore Events Centre) in Auckland.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26 – PRIDE ROUND

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 91 (Johnson 33, Deng 17, Bannan 16)

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 89 (Brockington 24, Webster 15, Jackson-Cartwright 14)

BOX SCORE