The South East Melbourne Phoenix became the first team to take advantage of a Tasmania JackJumpers outfit minus Will Magnay with Jordan Hunter and Matt Hurt starring in their 105-91 road win on Sunday.
Hunter and Hurt combined for 37 points and 14 rebounds to help South East Melbourne to a second win from three road games this week. They snapped Tasmania’s eight-game winning streak and gave the defending champs a first loss at MyState Bank Arena for NBL25.
The Phoenix arrived fresh off a big New Year’s Eve win in the ‘Gong over the Hawks and then a tough loss to the Kings in Sydney to open 2025 with scoring 60 points in the first half of both.
They put up another 56 points of the first half on Sunday with Tasmania struggling with the size of Hunter and Hurt in the absence of Will Magnay.
The JackJumpers did charge back with 13 second quarter points from Jordon Crawford as they chased a ninth consecutive win but the Phoenix remained on top by 12 at three quarter-time.
Tasmania never got closer than eight with South East Melbourne winning by 14 to improve to 11-10 to stay inside the top six having won six of the last eight.
The Phoenix had 58 points in the paint to 44 along with 24 points from the 16 Tasmania turnovers and shooting 53 per cent as a team and going 24/33 at the foul line.
Hurt finished with 20 points, six rebounds and three assists, Hunter 17 points and eight boards and they had plenty of help.
Derrick Walton Jr provided 16 points and six assists, Joe Wieskamp 15 points and six rebounds, and Malique Lewis 14 points and three boards along with some stifling defence on Milton Doyle (eight points, 3/12).
“I’m really proud of my team. It was a tough road trip,” Phoenix coach Josh King said.
“I thought for the most part we dominated today, except for a small little portion in the second quarter.”
It’s a first loss for the JackJumpers since November 7 against Perth with the reigning champs now sitting at 11-9 with them collecting just 30 rebounds and only scoring three second chance points, and only getting to the line six times.
Crawford top-scored with 16 points and five assists with Reuben Te Rangi adding 14 points and four rebounds, Majok Deng 14 points and four boards, Ian Hummer 10 points and two rebounds, and Fabijan Krslovic 10 points.
“They were the most aggressive team throughout the entire game, and we were a step behind and not quite sharp in a lot of areas,” JackJumpers coach Scott Roth said.
“Our defence bled points in areas we are constantly talking about.
“We don’t like losing, but ultimately good things have to come to an end at some point, and we’ll start over again.”
It was a hot start from the Phoenix in the third game in six days on the road with Jordan Hunter and Matt Hurt combining for the game’s first seven points before it was Fabijan Krslovic that steadied Tasmania.
He knocked down a pair of three-pointers for his team’s first eight points but South East Melbourne made another 6-0 scoring run and then another and-one from Hunter just before quarter-time saw the visitors leading 26-16.
When Matt Hurt completed a three-point play early in the second term the Phoenix’s lead grew to 13, but then Jordon Crawford provided the spark for Tasmania.
He knocked down a pair of three-pointers as part of a 12-0 run that included long balls from Milton Doyle and Majok Deng, and it was just a one-point ball game.
Crawford was able to briefly put the JackJumpers in front before half-time, but South East Melbourne finished the half the better with the last seven points including a triple from way downtown by Angus Glover.
The Phoenix had the only six second chance points of the half along with 10 points off the eight Tasmania turnovers before they were able to push their lead back up to 10 early in the third period.
Triples from Reuben Te Rangi and Clint Steindl kept the JackJumpers in touch, but the Phoenix continued to have all the answers and went into three quarter-time leading 84-72.
After Tasmania did manage seven of the first 10 points of the last quarter, South East Melbourne answered with the next nine points on the way to securing the 14-point win.
The JackJumpers head straight to Wollongong to face the league-leading Illawarra Hawks on Tuesday while the Phoenix play in Gippsland against the Brisbane Bullets on Saturday.
HUNGRY JACK’S NBL SEASON 2024/25
TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 91 (Crawford 16, Deng 14, Te Rangi 14)
SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE PHOENIX 105 (Hurt 20, Hunter 17, Walton Jr 16)
