JackJumpers march all over Hawks

The Tasmania JackJumpers put up a franchise record score and their offence might have never looked smoother led by 32 points from David Johnson and a huge game from captain Will Magnay in a 122-112 hammering of the Illawarra Hawks.

The Hawks deserved to feel confident back home at the WIN Entertainment Centre on Friday night, given their lone win so far had come in Wollongong last Friday night against the Adelaide 36ers.

They had struggled on the road in the other four matches, but had looked a different team at home. That wasn’t the case this time around and the JackJumpers virtually did as they pleased at the offensive end to set a new franchise record with 122 points.

Tasmania finished the game shooting 65 per cent from the field and 16/28 from deep along with 26/32 at the stripe to now improve to 4-1 record with Majok Deng, Ben Ayre, Bryce Hamilton and Anthony Drmic still to come into the team.

Johnson delivered 32 points on 5/6 three-point shooting for the JackJumpers with captain Magnay dominant with 14 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and two blocks.

Josh Bannan also finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and four assists, Taran Armstrong 17 points and five assists, Ben Gold 14 points on 3/4 shooting from deep, and Nick Marshall eight points, five assists and three rebounds.

A 39-point fourth quarter from the Hawks was the only thing that stopped the final scoreline being as ugly as most of the night was for the home team as they slip to 1-5.

Kelan Martin top-scored with 23 points, with four rebounds and three assists, while Davo Hickey contributed 21 points and four assists, Milton Doyle 20 points and three steals, Sam Froling 12 points and four rebounds, and Kyle Adnam 11 points and two assists.

Tasmania put up 32 points in the first quarter with Josh Bannan scoring 12 of those while they were shooting 12/19 from the field and 5/9 from downtown to be leading the Hawks 32-22.

The JackJumpers then took charge with the first 11 points of the second period to open up a 43-22 advantage, and things got ugly for the home team.

Illawarra might have added 25 points for the first of the half and Milton Doyle had 15 to half-time, but Tasmania were in total control leading 67-47 with Bannan up to 17 points, five rebounds and three assists with 3/6 shooting from the outside.

David Johnson also had 16 points and Ben Gold 11 while they were shooting 72 per cent as a team and 9/15 at 60 per cent from the outside.

There were a couple of brief flurries in the third quarter from the Hawks, but they could never get close to making it a single-figure ball game again. Johnson added another nine points in the term for the JackJumpers to be up to 25 at three quarter-time.

Tasmania were leading 91-73 by the end of three it became a track meet in the final quarter with 39 points to the Hawks and 31 to the JackJumpers with the final 10-point margin flattering the home team.

The Hawks remain at home and will attempt to respond on Sunday hosting the Cairns Taipans while the JackJumpers don't play again until hosting the Adelaide 36ers next Friday night.

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 112 – TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 122

Illawarra Hawks
Kelan Martin – 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists
Davo Hickey – 21 points, 4 assists
Milton Doyle – 20 points, 3 steals, 2 assists
Sam Froling – 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Kyle Adnam – 11 points, 2 assists

Tasmania JackJumpers
David Johnson – 32 points, 2 assists, 5/6 3PT
Josh Bannan – 25 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists
Taran Armstrong – 17 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds
Will Magnay – 14 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 blocks
Ben Gold – 14 points, 3 rebounds, 3/4 3PT