Hobart hoodoo continues as Tasmania JackJumpers knot NBL semifinals with NZ Breakers

At MyState Bank Arena: Tasmania JackJumpers 89 (Milton Doyle 23. Jack McVeigh 16, Matt Kenyon 11), NZ Breakers 78 (Barry Brown Jr 19, Jarrell Brantley 17, Dererk Pardon 15). 1Q: 18-14; HT: 42-42; 3Q: 64-60. Semifinal series level 1-1.

The Hobart hoodoo struck again on Thursday night in Tasmania as the New Zealand Breakers blinked when the lights were brightest and were forced into a game 3 NBL semifinal decider back in Auckland on Sunday

Mody Maor’s Breakers blew their chance to advance to a first grand final since 2016 at MyState Bank Arena as they went down 89-78 to the scrappy, never-say-die JackJumpers who harried the visitors into a messy, muddled display to level the series at a game apiece.

It was the Breakers’ 11th defeat in their last dozen games at the venue and their fifth on the bounce against the JackJumpers there. Coach Maor referred to it pre-game as a place he “did not like” (based mostly on the fact they were forced to play a series of “home” games there over the previous two seasons, mostly behind closed doors, and also mostly without success). It’s hard to see that view changing much on the back of another sub-par effort there.

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* Tasmania JackJumpers get job done to earn NBL semifinal matchup v NZ Breakers

The undermanned Tasmanians, missing star point guard Josh Magette to a facial injury, out-Breakered the Breakers as they muscled up on D, took their opponents out of their rhythm and rode home on the back of a superstar offensive display from shooting guard Milton Doyle in front of a packed, loud and intense home crowd. The visitors only broke 20 points in one quarter (the second) and wilted in the face of an 11-0 Tasmania run late in the third and early in the final stanza.

The Breakers never found a rhythm in the contest as they were out-hustled, out-muscled and flat out outplayed by last year’s beaten grand finalists in a display that mirrored the home team’s comeback from 0-1 down last year in the equivalent series against Melbourne United. It should have the Breakers decidedly on edge as they return for Sunday’s decider at Spark.

All-NBL first-teamer Doyle was superb for the JJs, racking up a game-high 23 points on 8-of-17 shooting (including three from deep), to go with 3 rebounds, 5 assists and a trio of steals. He simply willed his team over the line with a standout offensive display against a Breakers defence that had no answer to his firepower.

Jack McVeigh lived up to his “McTrey” moniker to sink a trio of triples in his crucial 16 points (on 5-of-8 shooting) and usual off-the-charts energy, while Matt Kenyon chipped in woth a crucial 11 points nd 6 boards for the victors.

The Breakers got solid offence out of their import trio of Barry Brown (19 points on 8-of-18 shooting), Jarrell Brantley (17 points, 9 boards and 5 turnovers) and Dererk Pardon (15 points, 11 rebounds, 4 steals for his ninth double-double of the season), but lacked the necessary support from the local contingent. Also, 16 turnovers and a 44% shooting effort cost the visitors dearly.

Izaya Le’afa did manage 9 points on just 5 shots off the bench, and Will McDowell-White added 8 points, 2 boards and 4 dimes, but it was not enough on a night when veteran skipper Tom Abercrombie went scoreless in 22 minutes on 0-of-5 shooting and the Jackies were plus-5 on 3-pointers made.

There is a lot to think about for the Breakers as they return to Auckland for a decider that will be played at their intimidating home venue, in front of their vocal crowd. Top of that list should be a reassurance that the JackJumpers will be turning up with their belief factor burning bright. That grand final is STILL 40 minutes away.

The Breakers had been well in the contest at the major break (42-42), even though the home side had made buzzer-beaters at the end of the first two quarters to keep their big crowd well and truly in it.

The lead changes kept flowing in the third, but a 9-0 run to finish the penultimate term put Tasmania out by 4 at the final break, which they soon turned into a double-figure advantage that the Breakers just could not haul in.