FOLLOWING a heartbreaking loss in the 2025/26 National Basketball League (NBL) season opener, the Tasmania JackJumpers were able to bounce back later in the first round, defeating the Perth Wildcats at RAC Arena on Saturday night.

The JackJumpers fell at home to Milton Doyle and Melbourne United on Thursday night, but had the opportunity to make amends when they headed out west a couple of days later to take on the Wildcats in what was shaping as a blockbuster clash.

Despite the loss, Tassie’s import trio had performed strongly in the loss to the Melbourne, but much of the intrigue coming into clash was around the first true look at Perth. It was obviously a huge blow having to deal with the loss of Bryce Cotton over the off-season, but the Wildcats had recruited strongly by bringing in Jo Lual-Acuil as the marquee signing, while recent G League Finals MVP Mason Jones was looming as a wildcard player on the offensive end.

Although both teams had their time in front on the scoreboard, it was Tasmania that delivered late in the piece, delivering some big plays down the stretch to claim a thrilling three-point lead to get their campaign back on track, courtesy of some clutch plays from Bryce Hamilton.

Perth Wildcats (75) def. by Tasmania JackJumpers (75)

Although fans at RAC Arena are used to a man named ‘Bryce’ lighting up the court, it was the Tasmanian variety that got the job done against Perth on Saturday, with Hamilton delivering an arrival performance by leading his new team to a gutsy road victory.

The JackJumpers import caught fire after the main change, bringing his side back into the contest after the Wildcats jumped out to a double-digit lead shortly after quarter time. After putting Tassie in front with his immense shotmaking, it was Hamilton’s plays down the stretch that proved most vital within the context of the match.

He nailed a deep stepback three-pointer late in the fourth quarter, before finishing a tough transition drive to give his team an eight-point lead with less than a minute to play in enemy territory. Although Jones answered down the other end with some remarkable shotmaking, Hamilton had done enough to lead his side to victory in one of the toughest road trips in the NBL.

Hamilton finished with a game-high 26 points on 12/19 shooting, with 20 of those points coming in the second half as he took over the match as the number-one scoring option. It was an announcement to the rest of the NBL that the JackJumpers had another star on their hands, and that he was going to be a key cog in the team’s quest for a second championship.

Fellow import David Johnson had 12 points of his own thanks to shooting 3/5 from long range, backing up a breakout performance in the season opener with another solid showing, while Tassie skipper Will Magnay poured in 10 points and four boards, and Josh Bannan flirted with a double-double of nine points and 10 rebounds.

It was the kind of performance that was built on defensive effort, with the JackJumpers putting an emphasis on locking down the perimeter against a dangerous Perth outfit. The Wildcats shot just 6/25 from behind the arc, with most of their looks under pressure as Tasmania closed out every time the opposition caught the ball in a winning strategy.

Despite the result, Jones was still able to catch the eye, particularly with his scoring late in the piece, and finished with 16 points in a promising result for Wildcats fan. Fellow recruit Lual-Acuil was also excellent in his regular season debut with the team, posting 15 points and 14 rebounds in a physically imposing performance.