FRIDAY night saw Round 9 of the National Basketball League (NBL) resume, with the Adelaide 36ers travelling across the Bass Strait to take on the Tasmania JackJumpers at MyState Bank Arena. It was an anticipated clash, given there was just one win separating the sides on the ladder, and both teams were eager for a win. The 36ers headed into this match as slight favourites given they have shown some serious promise over recent weeks, while their opponents had been struggling. With these expectations in mind, it appeared as if things were going to go as predicted, with the visitors leading after three quarters of entertaining action. However, the JackJumpers were able to conjure some serious fightback in the final term, outscoring Adelaide to claim a thrilling five-point victory in front of a buzzing home crowd.

FIRST QUARTER:

The first term opened with the 36ers gaining ascendancy early in the contest, jumping out to claim the lead in the first few minutes. The opening quarter blitz was largely led by impressive young guard Dusty Hannahs, who was seemingly unstoppable in the first 10 minutes of the match. The defence had no match for his scoring ability, with Hannahs involved in nearly everything for his team. By the time the buzzer sounded to conclude the first term, he had 11 points, almost outscoring the JackJumpers on his own as his team took a nine-point lead into the second term as they looked to put the game away early.

SECOND QUARTER:

The second period saw scoring from both teams increase, particularly from the JackJumpers, who were able to flick a switch at quarter time. The home team came out firing in the term, producing some serious offensive firepower as they pushed the tempo whenever they had control of the ball. Tasmania guard Josh Adams was one of the main reasons why his side was able to drag themselves back into the contest, providing some much-needed scoring and getting the ball rolling for his side on the offensive side of the court. Unfortunately for the JackJumpers, Adelaide was able to match this scoring intensity and the lead was only reduced by three points for the term.

THIRD QUARTER:

The second half saw scoring take quite a hit compared to the second term, with neither side able to find the rhythm that served them well in the previous period. Both teams put an emphasis on defending the ball, given how high-scoring things got to close out the first half. Neither side was able to make a strong move with ball in hand, as there were only a combined 23 points scored for the quarter, and the 36ers could only extend their lead by a single points, with the JackJumpers trailing by seven points heading into the fourth quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER:

The final term saw the JackJumpers produce a stunning 10 minutes of play, completely shocking the opposition with their terrific work on both ends of the court. It took the home side just four minutes to erase the seven-point deficit and take the lead themselves, with the 36ers having no answer for their fast-paced style of play. The two sides traded baskets in the middle of the term with the lead going back and forth throughout this time. The game-winning play came from Matt Kenyon, who converted a tough and-one in the closing minutes to give his side a defendable lead as they finished the match victorious.

CLOSING THOUGHTS …

For the victors, there were none more impressive than Adams, who was a significant scoring presence for his team for the entirety of the match. He finished with 24 points, four rebounds and five assists to be the best player on the court by the time the final buzzer sounded. He had some strong help from teammate Josh Magette, who also bounced out of his slump to produce numbers of 16 points, six rebounds and seven assists. For the 36ers, Hannahs fought valiantly all day to finish with 22 points and four rebounds.