Snakes strike back to beat JackJumpers

The struggles of the Tasmania JackJumpers in Launceston continued with the Cairns Taipans putting in a spirited showing to snap their seven-match losing run to score the 75-69 Saturday victory.

The JackJumpers had won just two of eight games at The Silverdome coming into the match up but with the Taipans having lost seven straight and already suffering six defeats by 27 or more in NBL26, they put in a gutsy showing to lead virtually the whole way to win by six.

It was Jack McVeigh's first game against his former club after playing a crucial role in the JackJumpers' maiden NBL championship success two seasons ago.

He nailed several crucial shots when the game was on the line in the final quarter, and also finished with six rebounds and two assists to go with his 23 points to silence his former home fans.

Point guard Andrew Andrews had his best NBL night with 27 points and three assists while going 4/4 from three-point territory with fellow import Admiral Schofield scoring 18 points to go with six boards.

McVeigh, Andrews and Schofield combined for 68 of Cairns' 75 points in the game where they won despite shooting 42 per cent from the field, being outrebounded by 14 and only taking three free throws in the opening three quarters.

However, they did only turn the ball only three times and it was a win all on effort and defence which was exactly what coach Adam Forde was calling for after Thursday's 28-point loss in Brisbane.

Tasmania, who have now lost back-to-back games to be 5-5, trailed for the majority but got things level at 58-58 with less than six minutes left on the clock.

But the Taipans continued to have all the answers by scoring seven straight points before closing the game out at the line to improve to 3-8 on the season.

Bryce Hamilton again top-scored for the JackJumpers with 21 points with six rebounds and six assists. Captain Will Magnay was good to go and had 12 points and 10 rebounds with Josh Bannan adding 12 points and 12 boards.

Cairns did it without rising talent Reyne Smith, who left the court with a foot injury in the second quarter.

Tasmania had another horror Launceston shooting night going 38 per cent from the field while going just 4/25 from three-point range despite a better rebounding night.

Cairns had the running for most of the first quarter, with McVeigh getting two three-pointers early.

But the JackJumpers came to life with a run of nine unanswered points to reduce the visitors' advantage to 18-15 at the end of the opening quarter.

The Taipans went scoreless for five minutes either side of the first break, but rebounded for a 40-31 half-time lead - Tasmania's lowest first-half score of the season.

Tempers flared briefly between Tasmania's Majok Deng and McVeigh in the third, before Cairns took a 54-49 break into the last quarter.

The result continues Tasmania's struggles at The Silverdome - they have won only two of nine games at their second home.

The JackJumpers are back in Launceston to host the South East Melbourne Phoenix on Thursday while the Taipans are back home to face the Illawarra Hawks on Friday night.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 69 (Hamilton 21, Bannan 12, Campbell 10, Magnay 10)

CAIRNS TAIPANS 75 (Andrews 27, McVeigh 23, Schofield 18)

BOX SCORE