Tasmania’s injury crisis has worsened on the eve of finals after Nick Stoddart was carried off with an ankle injury late in Wednesday night’s record 103-70 loss to Illawarra.
With little riding on the result, given they have already locked in sixth place and the last play-in spot, Stoddart’s injury after landing awkwardly on Hawk JaVale McGee’s foot compounded a nightmare night to end the regular season.
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It was the Jackies’ biggest home loss in their short history, eclipsing a 105-73 defeat to Perth in January last year, and they just avoided toppling their biggest-ever defeat of 36 at South-East Melbourne in the same month.
There was little riding on the result, but it was an Illawarra outfit out of finals contention who found the motivation to end a disappointing title defence on a high.
With bigger fish to fry in the play-in, the JackJumpers’ performance was lacking the usual intensity and grit they’ve been renowned for in the battle of the past two NBL champions.
Already missing big guns for the season headlined by skipper Will Magnay, import Bryce Hamilton and point guard Sean Macdonald, Stoddart’s injury was the last thing they needed.
HAWKS SHOOT JACKIES OUT OF THEIR GYM
The home rims weren’t kind for the JackJumpers, who missed all ten of their first half three points attempts compared to the Hawks’ 8-18 from long distance.
Tasmania missed their first 13 straight three-pointers in total, seven of those from David Johnson, before the import finally nailed one midway through the third term.
They finished with a woeful 3-24 while the visitors made 13-31, the major difference in the game.
It set up a second straight win to end the Hawks’ season after they also upset Melbourne on Sunday.
DENG AND BANNAN NEED HELP
The only JackJumpers who played with the necessary intensity on the offensive end were Josh Bannan and Majok Deng.
Bannan is almost in career best form since joining Tasmania this season, while Deng is relishing being a focal point as part of the starting line-up.
Bannan scored 13 of his 17 points in the first half, and his 14 double-doubles for the season is behind only Illawarra’s former NBA star JaVale McGee, who has 19 after racking up 15 points and ten rebounds on Wednesday.
Tyler Harvey scored 21 and Quentin Petersen 20 for the Hawks in the blowout win.
Deng backed up 36 points in Tasmania’s last start defeat to South-East Melbourne with 11 against the Hawks, but the Jackies need more from imports Tyger Campbell and Johnson if they expect to make any impact at all in the play-in.
They will play whoever finishes fifth on the road – either Melbourne United or Perth but more than likely the former – in the play-in in a fortnight after the FIBA break.
WILL MCGEE AND TATUM RETURN?
That’s the big question surrounding the Hawks right now as they look for the best blueprint to bounce back immediately next season.
There is a mutual option in the final year of championship-winning coach Justin Tatum’s contract for 2026-27.
McGee has been enormous for the Hawks and a star attraction for the league in general. He showed his class with a brilliant steal, burst down the court and dunk in the second quarter, before denying Bannan with a dominant block the next play.
They should be optimistic about next year given gun big man Sam Froling will be improved after making his comeback from an achilles injury.
Tyler Harvey will also soon be an Australian citizen, opening up another import spot.
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