THE National Basketball League (NBL action continued on Saturday, with a pair of cracking contests taking place. Things kicked off at the Silverdome, when the Tasmania JackJumpers hosted the New Zealand Breakers on Saturday evening, with both sides eager to get back on the winners’ list after a disappointing Round 13. The JackJumpers entered this clash as the favourites, given they were the form team of the competition a few weeks ago, but the Breakers have shown a bit throughout the season. The match ended up unfolding in cracking fashion, with both sides putting an emphasis on the defensive end of the court.

It was a low-scoring affair, with both teams defending extremely well, particularly in the second half. The match opened with some scintillating offence, as the JackJumpers took an early lead. Scoring slowed down over the next few quarters, as both sides worked very hard both ways. The Breakers were able to wrestle the lead in their favour, as they slowly grinded Tasmania down. The JackJumpers simply could not get their offence rolling, but they turned this around in the final period. Tasmania got going in the fourth, overcoming a three-quarter time deficit to claim a four-point victory in tense fashion.

For the victors, MiKyle McIntosh was the standout, pouring in 21 points and four rebounds in a stellar performance. He has shown plenty of promise throughout the season, and delivered arguably his best outing this year. He was the only JackJumper to score double-digits, which makes sense given the low scoring nature of the game. For the Breakers, Chesson Randle continues to gel in his return to the lineup, finishing with a team-high 18 points in a terrific performance for the guard.

The other match of the evening saw the reigning champs claim a win, as Melbourne United defeated the Brisbane Bullets to the tune of 12 points. United delivered a powerful second half to break away from their opponents in strong fashion, as they continued to strengthen their claim as back-to-back champions. For the winners, Jo Lual Acuil returned to the team in excellent form, dropping an equal game-high 20 points and eight boards, as he resumed his charge towards a potential MVP season.