AN INCREDIBLE seventh straight win was the Christmas present all Tasmania JackJumpers fans were able to open together at MyState Bank Arena yesterday evening as the Apple Isle saw off the struggling New Zealand Breakers by 15 points to close our Round 13 of the NBL.

The Breakers started the year with a 5-0 record to surprise quite a few people after a disappointing winless NBL Blitz campaign. However since then, the team has tumbled from top of the ladder ninth, only clear of cellar dwellers Cairns. The Breakers’ last 13 games has yielded a 2-11 record, free falling to three wins outside the Play-In Tournament places.

Crossing their path in the opposite direction was the JackJumpers who not too long ago were 3-8 and anchored alongside the Taipans at the bottom of the table. However seven wins on the bounce has seen the Jack Jumpers shoot up to fourth – albeit in a mid-table log-jam – to now only be two wins outside the top two – with two games in hand to Melbourne United.

In the most recent win last night, the JackJumpers kicked away in the final term, shaking off a determined Breakers outfit who remained in the game. The home team lead by two points at quarter time, three points at half-time and six points at the final break, winning each of the terms for the night. However putting the foot down in the last, the JackJumpers blasted past the New Zealand based side in front of more than 4000 people, piling on 33 points to 24 to run away with the game, 97-82.

In-form guard Jordan Crawford had another big day out, putting up 26 points while shooting at 57 per cent from the field – including six of nine from beyond the arc – and picked up four assists and two steals for his troubles. He worked well with front court pair Majok Deng (20 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks) and Reuben Te Rangi (12 points, three rebounds and one steal) who also registered double-digit points in the absence of injured star, Will Magnay.

For the Breakers, Parker Jackson-Cartwright scored 23 points and dished off a game-high six assists to carry the load once again. He had support from Mojave King (12 points, three rebounds and three assists) and Sam Mennenga (11 points, seven rebounds), while towering recruit Tacko Fall played his most efficient game with 11 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in just 16 and a half minutes.

JackJumpers coach Scott Roth said he was pleased to just finding a way to win, even if it “wasn’t pretty”.

“We laid an egg last Christmas but this one seemed to be a little bit better for us,” he said.

“I’m a little bit relieved that we were able to wear these uniforms and enjoy ourselves this time as opposed to last time. “Our guys just kept grinding a way and finding a way, and they just stuck with it long enough.”

On the other side of the coin, Breakers coach Petteri Koponen had to grasp and eighth straight loss.

“It’s the same story as against Sydney with us giving effort for 30, 35 minutes but then we start to rush some things and don’t make the pass to the open guy, and try to go individually,” he said.

“We kind of lost our poise there again and it’s something we’ve talked a lot about during the season because it has been our problem.”