Emerging MVP threat inspires dark horse in thriller; Cotton leads key Sixers win — NBL Wrap
The Tasmania JackJumpers’ troubles at their Launceston home continued in a narrow 103-102 loss to South-East Melbourne on Thursday. Despite a strong effort, their poor record at the Silverdome persists, dropping them to 2-7 at the venue.
Bryce Hamilton delivered a brilliant performance but couldn’t stop Tasmania from suffering its third consecutive home defeat. The team had already struggled after a disappointing 75-69 loss to Cairns.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix, who started last season with a 2-6 record, now sit second on the ladder at 7-2 after edging out the JackJumpers in one of the most thrilling contests of the season.
“Not even 36 points off 16-of-23 shooting from Hamilton could prevent the JackJumpers from falling to 5-6.”
Late-game drama saw two costly Phoenix turnovers give Tasmania a chance to snatch victory, but Ben Ayre’s corner three-point attempt rimmed out as the buzzer sounded.
Malique Lewis was a standout for South-East Melbourne with 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting, including 18 in the first half where he made his first five shots.
Summary
The Phoenix outlasted the JackJumpers in a 103-102 thriller, overcoming Bryce Hamilton’s 36-point effort as Malique Lewis shined in a clutch road win.