Undermanned 36ers fall to JackJumpers

Adelaide 36ers have completed their NBL Blitz campaign with an 86-82 defeat against Tasmania JackJumpers at the Gold Coast Convention Centre on Thursday night.

Tasmania import swingman Milton Doyle (19 points, seven assists, five rebounds) was clutch down the stretch as the JackJumpers made the baskets when it mattered most for the four-point win, their third of the pre-season tournament.

Mitch McCarron and Tohi Smith-Milner were standouts for the 36ers as Adelaide looked reinvigorated after coming off two defeats.

Smith-Milner scored a game-high 21 points, while McCarron was everywhere, adding 16 points to go with 10 assists and seven rebounds. Sunday Dech also added 14 points with four rebounds and four assists.

The 36ers were severely undermanned, already missing Jacob Wiley (calf) and Trey Kell (knee), Adelaide was without Jason Cadee (finger) and Jamaal Franklin (rested) from the contest, giving greater opportunities to the playing rotation.  

Adelaide started strongly, scoring the opening eight points of the contest and kept the JackJumpers scoreless for the opening four and a half minutes.

Dech connected on a corner three-pointer, Adelaide had a 13-2 lead, but Doyle hit back-to-back triples as Tasmania fought back straight away.

When Marcus Lee connected under the hoop the JackJumpers, the 36ers lead was just 15-12, but Adelaide executed to get to the free throw line and when Smith-Milner connected on a three-pointer, the 36ers had a 25-16 lead at the first break.

Smith-Milner caught fire to start the second quarter, connecting on another triple as he scored 12 first half points to spark the 36ers to a 37-23 lead.

McCarron was back as the starting point guard and ran the show, scoring five points, dishing five assists, and grabbing five rebounds in the opening 20 minutes.

Adelaide built their advantage and had a 17-point lead (42-25) during the first half, but Tasmania fought back late, going on an 8-2 run as the 36ers went into the main break 44-33 leaders.

Lee started to show his strength inside the paint to open the second half, scoring six quick points as the JackJumpers cut the 36ers lead back to 48-41.

McCarron caught fire with back-to-back three-pointers as the Adelaide advantage again went past double digits.

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The JackJumpers looked to increase their trademark tough defense, Jack McVeigh sparking a 14-3 Tasmania run to cut the lead to 59-58.

Tasmania doubled their score in the third quarter as the JackJumpers took a 66-63 into the final 10 minutes.

McCarron stepped up in the last quarter after Tasmania increased their lead to a game-high five points (70-65), converting a tough three-point play, then finding Kyrin Galloway for a triple as the 36ers retook the lead.

Smith-Milner again connected from downtown, his third of the game, but the JackJumpers showed poise down the stretch, Doyle coming up clutch with two tough baskets to seal victory.

Adelaide start their NBL24 regular season campaign in Brisbane against the Bullets next Friday night.

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 86 (Doyle 19, McVeigh 13, Deng 11) def ADELAIDE 36ERS 82 (Smith-Milner 21, McCarron 16, Dech 14) at Gold Coast Convention Centre.

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