IN THEIR biggest win of the National Basketball League (NBL) season, the Tasmania JackJumpers dominated the Brisbane Bullets to claim a 44-point victory on the back of a career-best performance from Nick Marshall.

The JackJumpers are in a precarious position, as they currently sit in sixth spot on the ladder but have two sides hot on their tail in the Illawarra Hawks and the New Zealand Breakers, so wins are as valuable as ever. They came up against a Bullets side that occupied 10th place in the standings, but had won at MyState Bank Arena already this season.

It was as emphatic a display as Tasmania could have hoped for, completely outplaying the Bullets at home despite missing some big names in Will Magnay and Bryce Hamilton. The JackJumpers owned the contest for all four quarters, and posted a franchise record 114 points in the win in what was one of their best performances ever, moving one step closer to a play-in appearance.

In the absence of some serious offensive firepower, the JackJumpers were led by emerging talent Marshall, who had the best showing of his career against Brisbane to show he can hit the scoreboard as well as anyone.

Tasmania JackJumpers (114) def. Brisbane Bullets (70)

Nick Marshall – 31 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block

With the JackJumpers losing their offensive punch in Hamilton – who has been the team’s number one scorer – Tassie needed someone to step up offensively to ensure the team would get to a winning score. Last week it was David Johnson, but Marshall was the one to stand up against Brisbane.

It was a performance built on first-quarter dominance, with the 26-year-old outscoring the Bullets on his own in the first 10 minutes. In the opening frame, Marshall showed immense aggression with ball in hand, looking to get open looks wherever possible and worked well without the rock too, opening himself up for scoring chances as much as he could.

It was his work from behind the arc that proved the most impactful, with Marshall knocking down five three-pointers on five attempts in the first quarter, and at the opening change, already had 17 points to his name as the JackJumpers led by 19 points, with his previous best effort for a single term being 14 points.

At the main change, Marshall had 23 points and the JackJumpers were firmly in control of the contest. One of the most impressive facets of his game was his shot selection, with the former Adelaide 36er waiting for the right looks and never forcing contested shots when he did not need to, which helped Tasmania maintain its momentum.

Marshall’s efficiency was simply terrific, shooting 92.3 per cent from the field by nailing 12 of his 13 attempts from the field and nailing seven of his eight shots from behind the arc, rarely wasting an opportunity to find the bottom of the net in the process. Heading towards a pair of games that the JackJumpers must win at least one of if they are to secure a place in the postseason, Marshall showcasing his ceiling is a big plus for Tasmania.