WITH the National Basketball League (NBL) season just around the corner, the Tasmania JackJumpers have secured a podium finish at the 2024 FIBA Intercontinental Cup, which took place in Singapore over the weekend.

As champions of the most recent NBL fixture, the JackJumpers earned a spot at the tournament and would take on other victorious sides from around the world’s most prestigious basketball competitions. The NBA G-League would also send a representative side to Singapore to try and bring home the silverware.

2024 marked the first year a team from Oceania would be part of the tournament, ensuring five continents would be represented.

Although they could not bring the ultimate prize, the JackJumpers did secure a third-placed finish after a win on Sunday night.

Tasmania’s campaign began on Friday night, placed in Group B with the likes of Quimsa and the G-League United squad. The JackJumpers claimed a 22-point win over the former, getting their campaign off to the perfect start as the big names such as Jordan Crawford (15 points) firing early.

It set up an enthralling matchup against the G-League United, who were one of the favourites to win it all based on pure star power, although Tasmania had enjoyed a tremendous 2024 itself.

It was a back and forth affair, with the G-League bursting out of the gates to snatch an early lead before Tasmania steadied and moved the ball better as the game progressed. The JackJumpers even turned things around enough to take a four-point lead late in the fourth quarter, before the G-League team rallied to take the lead with just seconds on the clock, and Tassie fell by two points.

Although a first-placed finish was out of the question, Tasmania still had the opportunity to finish on the podium when it faced off against Al Riyadi on Sunday night. The JackJumpers opposition had recorded a record of 1-1 as well, shaping as an even battle.

Al Riyadi was the better side for much of the contest, leading by seven points heading into the fourth quarter. However, Tasmania stormed home in the final term, outscoring the opposition 29-17 in a barnstorming finish. The defining play proved to be a three-pointer from Anthony Drmic to give the JackJumpers a three-point lead, and after knocking down some clutch free throws in cool fashion, they secured a five-point triumph.

The JackJumpers showed they can match it with their contemporaries from around the globe, and gave a perfect demonstration to how far Australian basketball has advanced in the past few years.