Taipans outlast JackJumpers in Cairns

It was a game of wild momentum swings, but Kyrin Galloway started the fourth quarter on fire, and that was enough for the Cairns Taipans to overcome a spirited Tasmania JackJumpers 93-87.

It was the Snakes' first home game at Cairns Convention Centre in NBL27 as they tried to bounce back from Sunday's 21-point road loss to the Sydney Kings.

Tasmania started their season with a gutsy five-point win over the South East Melbourne Phoenix on Monday night but lost Majok Deng afterwards, who joined Josh Bannan, Anthony Drmic, Ben Ayre and Bryce Hamilton on the sidelines.

Cairns then took full advantage, opening a 20-point lead to start the second quarter after a 12-0 run late in the first, before Tasmania closed the half with a 28-9 run of their own.

Scores were all level heading into three quarter-time after a buzzer beater from Keanu Pinder and then the Snakes opened the fourth term on fire including three bombs from Galloway to go back up 14.

Tasmania still fired back to set up a thrilling finish but the Snakes held on to win by six on a night where they got up 10 extra shots and went 14/32 from the outside.

Jaylon Brown was playing his first game in Cairns and produced 20 points, five rebounds and four assists for the Snakes, with Galloway finishing with 19 points on 5/7 three-point shooting.

Jack McVeigh added 17 points, four rebounds and three assists, Keanu Pinder 11 points and three assists, and Malique Lewis 10 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Taran Armstrong returned to Cairns where he started his NBL career and produced 20 points, seven assists and six rebounds.

David Johnson added another 18 points and seven rebounds, shooting 4/6 from three, while Will Magnay delivered 17 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks; Dakota Mathias added 15 points and four boards; and Nick Marshall finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, and three assists.

The Taipans were at home for the first time in NBL27 and closer to full strength, and after they were leading 17-13 with three minutes to go in the first quarter, they took control.

The Snakes scored the next 12 points, including three-pointers from Shaun Bruce, Sunday Dech and Jaylin Galloway, before going into quarter-time up 32-16.

Cairns shot a blistering 7/9 from the outside in the first quarter before the lead grew to 20 to start the second term, but Tasmania worked its way back into the contest.

The JackJumpers outscored the Taipans 28 -9 for the rest of the half and shot 10/15 to cut the Cairns lead to 45-44 by half-time.

After the hot shooting first quarter, the Snakes only ended up going 6/24 from the field in the second and 1/8 from deep with just the one free-throw in the entire first 20 minutes.

It remained a tight battle in the third quarter and scores were locked at 66-66 by three quarter-time before Kyrin Galloway lit it up to start the fourth for Cairns.

He hit three triples in the opening three minutes of the final frame, and the Snakes suddenly led 11 -6; that advantage grew to 14 with Jaylon Brown landing another long ball shortly after.

But Tasmania weren’t going to go down wondering, and they got all the way back within four inside the last two minutes after a Will Magnay put back, only for the Taipans to hold on to open their season at home with a six-point win.

The Taipans will now back up again in Round 2 to take on the Adelaide 36ers on the road on Sunday while the JackJumpers have until next Thursday before hosting Melbourne United.

CAIRNS TAIPANS 93 – TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 87

Cairns Taipans
Jaylon Brown – 20 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists
Kyrin Galloway – 19 points, 4 rebounds, 5/7 3PT
Jack McVeigh – 17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists
Keanu Pinder – 11 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds
Malique Lewis – 10 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists

Tasmania JackJumpers
Taran Armstrong – 20 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds
David Johnson – 18 points, 7 rebounds, 4/6 3PT
Will Magnay – 17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks
Dakota Mathias – 15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Nick Marshall – 13 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists