McVeigh's 40 lifts Snakes over JackJumpers

Jack McVeigh could have dealt the team he starred in a championship with a cruel blow this NBL season by putting up 40 points for the Cairns Taipans in the eventual 96-93 overtime win over the Tasmania JackJumpers.

McVeigh was the star of Tasmania's NBL24 championship triumph and has made it all that tougher now for the JackJumpers to hold on to sixth position this season after his 40 points with 17/17 free-throw shooting while playing all 45 minutes at the Cairns Convention Centre.

The Snakes did lead most of the night before the JackJumpers hit the front thanks to Tyger Campbell in the fourth quarter, but McVeigh helped Cairns get to overtime.

Kody Stattmann then scored seven of his team's 12 points with Tasmania without Ben Ayre, Campbell and David Johnson in the finish with the Snakes winning by three.

While the JackJumpers will continue to be without Will Magnay and Bryce Hamilton the rest of the season, Majok Deng returned from concussion and was on fire early with 10 points for a 12-8 lead.

The Snakes took over from there even without import point guard Andrew Andrews who failed a pre-game fitness test.

The Taipans went on a 20-3 run either side of quarter-time and were on top 54-39 at the half, and still by six at the end of three.

The JackJumpers got back in front with a 9-0 run midway through the fourth but McVeigh responded with a pair of threes for the game to go to overtime where it was the Snakes prevailed with Stattmann coming up huge.

The result moves Cairns two games clear of the bottom placed Brisbane Bullets at 8-20 with Stattmann ending up with a career-best 18 points, four rebounds and two steals.

Mojave King had all 16 of his points in the first half with Kyrin Galloway contributing seven points, nine rebounds and two blocks, including a crucial late rejection on Anthony Drmic, and Kyle Adnam seven points and four assists.

Tasmania (12-17) are now just clinging to sixth spot ahead of the New Zealand Breakers (11-17) who they host on Sunday.

Deng stepped up for 28 points and eight rebounds with Josh Bannan delivering 18 points and 15 boards, Johnson 17 points and four rebounds, Campbell 14 points and six assists, and Nick Marshall 11 points and seven rebounds.

Majok Deng caught fire early for the JackJumpers and when his team were leading 12-8, he had 10 points already to his name as he returned to the line-up and stepping in for the absence of Will Magnay.

The Taipans then got rolling to close the first quarter by going on a 16-3 run heading into quarter-time. And by the break of their 27 points, 21 were from Mojave King and Jack McVeigh as they opened up a 10-point advantage.

The Snakes then continued the momentum in the second frame with the first four points to make it a 20-3 to lead by 14 before the JackJumpers did answer with the next six points including five straight from Johnson.

Cairns were able to maintain that edge for the rest of the half to go into the break leading 54-39 on the back of 20 points from former JackJumper McVeigh which included him going a perfect 10/10 at the foul line.

Tasmania did stay in touch thanks to a combined 25 points from Deng and Johnson before the JackJumpers came out firing to open the second half with a triple from Tyger Campbell, three-pointer from Johnson and bucket from Deng.

Tasmania couldn’t quite get all the way back in front, though, and by three quarter-time Cairns had done enough to still be leading 71-65 with McVeigh scoring his team's last 10 points for the period.

Eventually the JackJumpers worked back in front thanks to a 9-0 run including a tripkle from Campbell with 4:45 to go, but it wasn’t done yet.

McVeigh answered with a pair of three balls put the Snakes back on top before a free-throw from Deng levelled things once more, and Tasmania did well denying McVeigh a good look at the buzzer to force overtime.

Early in overtime, the JackJumpers lost Campbell to cramp and Johnson fouled out, and while they did their best to shut down McVeigh, it was Kody Stattmann who stepped up with seven straight points at one-point but even then Deng's shot to force a second overtime for Tasmania just rimmed out.

Both teams back up quickly to play again on Sunday with the Taipans remaining at home to host the Sydney Kings while the JackJumpers are back home in a battle over sixth place with the New Zealand Breakers.

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

CAIRNS TAIPANS 96 (McVeigh 40, Stattmann 18, King 16)

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 93 (Deng 28, Bannan 18, Johnson 17)

BOX SCORE