Sixers fall to Tassie on the road

Adelaide 36ers ran into a red-hot Tasmania JackJumpers in a 109-86 defeat at MyState Bank Arena in Hobart on Sunday afternoon.

The JackJumpers shot the ball at 60 per cent from the field as the 36ers tried gallantly but couldn’t win a fifth straight match.

Trey Kell was everywhere for Adelaide, scoring a game-high 29 points to go with 10 rebounds and three assists, while DJ Vasiljevic added 21 points to go with three assists.

Adelaide, who went into the game winning six of the past seven matches, started on target through Vasiljevic, scoring the 36ers’ first seven points as the visitors attacked the basket early.

Isaac Humphries, in his 100^th NBL match, got to the free throw line and when Kell converted a three-point play, Adelaide had a 13-9 lead.

Jack McVeigh (26 points, eight rebounds) had the hot hand for the home side, scoring 10 points in the first five minutes as the JackJumpers went on a 9-0 run to open an 18-13 lead.

Tasmania shot the ball at 73 per cent from the field in the opening 10 minutes to take a 31-21 lead into quarter time.

Sean MacDonald (14 points, three assists) connected on his second triple and McVeigh continued to score before consecutive baskets from Alex Starling (10 points), including a big slam dunk, cut the Tasmania lead to 37-27.

The JackJumpers responded with a 9-0 run after a Scott Roth time out to extend their advantage to 46-27.

Kell stepped up late in the second quarter, connecting on three consecutive baskets and scored 19 points in the opening 20 minutes, but Tasmania took a 57-45 lead into the main interval.

Tasmania opened the third quarter with a 7-0 run to increase their lead to a game-high 19 points before Vasiljevic found the basket on the break.

McVeigh continued to connect from the perimeter, while Milton Doyle (17 points, 10 assists) and Will Magnay (11 points, 12 rebounds) started to put their presence on the match as Tasmania opened a 71-51 lead.

Kell kept on scoring as the 36ers looked to get back into the contest, but the JackJumpers continued to attack the basket with intent to take an 83-69 lead into the final 10 minutes.

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Vasiljevic got the free throw line, then found Wiley under the basket as Adelaide scored the opening two possessions to start the final quarter to cut the margin to 83-73.

Clint Steindl then scored six quick points as the home side again repelled another 36ers push, his second triple of the quarter increased the Tasmania lead to 95-77.

Another three-pointer, this time from Jordon Crawford (15 points), ended the final Adelaide push as the 36ers split their double-header weekend.

Adelaide is back in action this Friday night when the 36ers travel to Brisbane to battle the Bullets at Nissan Arena from 7pm ACDT.

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 109 (McVeigh 26, Doyle 17, Crawford 15) def ADELAIDE 36ERS 86 (Kell 29, Vasiljevic 21, Wiley 11, Starling 10) at MyState Bank Arena.

BOX SCORE