JackJumpers beat South East Melbourne 96-91 in their NBL season opener

For more than 27 minutes the Tasmania JackJumpers never led. Then Dakota Mathias hit a step-back three with 2:26 left in the third quarter, it was 68-67, and the home side did not stop. Tasmania beat the South East Melbourne Phoenix 96-91 at MyState Bank Arena on Monday night to win their first game of the 2026-27 NBL season, after trailing by 14 at halftime.

South East Melbourne led 52-38 at the break. The Phoenix had been ahead by as many as 16, 47-31, after a 12-0 run late in the second quarter, and Tasmania's only tie before the third quarter was at 3-3 in the first. Tasmania scored 36 points in the third quarter, its best of the night, and the score was 74-74 going into the fourth. The JackJumpers won the second half 58-39. By quarter, it was Tasmania 15, 23, 36, 22 and South East Melbourne 24, 28, 22, 17.

The comeback

It started with a 10-0 run early in the third quarter, from 54-40 down to 54-50 by the 6:52 mark. From there the game swung back and forth: it was tied 11 times, six of them in the fourth quarter, and the lead changed hands seven times. South East Melbourne went back in front at 82-81 with 4:50 to play. Tasmania took the lead for the last time at 86-84 with 2:43 left.

The last minute was tight. Taran Armstrong made a free throw to make it 91-86 with 56 seconds left, and the Phoenix's Skylar Mays answered with a 29-foot three to cut it to 91-89. Nick Marshall hit a floater off an Armstrong pass with 12 seconds left to make it 93-89. Yannis Morin's tip-in pulled the Phoenix to 93-91 with three seconds left, and Mathias and David Johnson made free throws to finish it.

The numbers

Tasmania shot 53% (35 of 66) and made 8 of 21 threes, with 21 assists and 18 of 23 at the free throw line. South East Melbourne shot 42% (32 of 76), made 13 of 36 threes and had 14 offensive rebounds to Tasmania's five, and it out-rebounded the JackJumpers 39-29. The Phoenix could not turn those extra shots into a lead.

Johnson, who came off the bench, led Tasmania with 26 points in 27 minutes, making 10 of 15 shots and three of seven threes, with six rebounds and six assists. Armstrong scored 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting in 33 minutes. Will Magnay had 14 points, making all eight of his free throws, with six assists, and Tasmania outscored the Phoenix by 16 points while he was on the floor. Mathias added 14 points and six rebounds in 35 minutes, and Marshall scored 10.

Angus Glover, also a reserve, scored 21 points for the Phoenix in 25 minutes and made five of his 11 three-point attempts. Mays had 18 points and six rebounds, D'Shawn Schwartz scored 12, Dash Daniels had 11 points and four assists, and Jordan Hunter scored nine. Tanner Krebs started and missed all five of his three-point attempts.

Scoring.

Tasmania: David Johnson 26, Taran Armstrong 19, Will Magnay 14, Dakota Mathias 14, Nick Marshall 10, Majok Deng 6, Ben Gold 5, Nicholas Stoddart 2.

South East Melbourne: Angus Glover 21, Skylar Mays 18, D'Shawn Schwartz 12, Dash Daniels 11, Jordan Hunter 9, Yannis Morin 7, Akech Aliir 5, Tanner Krebs 4, Hunter Goodrick 2, Daniel Foster 2.

By quarter: Tasmania 15, 23, 36, 22. South East Melbourne 24, 28, 22, 17.

What is next

The Phoenix had won 100-79 at Perth on Saturday. The JackJumpers play the Cairns Taipans in Cairns on Wednesday, September 23. South East Melbourne plays Melbourne United in Melbourne on Thursday, September 24.