Game Preview: Taipans v JackJumpers

The Kenfrost Homes Cairns Taipans are back home for Pride Round on Friday night, taking on a Tasmania group dealing with a heavy injury toll but still anchored in their trademark physical style.

With familiar faces on both sides and both teams missing key big men, expect a hard-nosed contest where the final result will be earned, not given.‍

Where and When

Friday, 30 January at the Cairns Convention Centre (6:30pm AEST)‍

How to Follow

Watch: Live on ESPN

Live Updates: Taipans X

Stats: Box Score‍

What’s Already Happened

Recent Results
Perth Wildcats (106) v Cairns Taipans (69)
SEM Phoenix (118) v Cairns Taipans (91)

Sydney Kings (105) v Tasmania JackJumpers (94)
Tasmania JackJumpers (91) v Illawarra Hawks (101)

The Taipans burst out of the blocks on a brutal two-day turnaround from Perth, drilling early threes through shooters Jack McVeigh and Kyrin Galloway and racing to a 14-point first-quarter lead before finishing the opening term 26-16. 

With every starter notching an assist midway through the opening term and SEM held to six points late in the first quarter, the Taipans’ ball movement and defence set the tone early. 

The travelling side still led 52-49 at halftime with their equal-highest first-half score this season, behind Taipans leading scorer McVeigh (15 at the break) and playmaker Andrew Andrews’ control. 

After halftime, SEM’s full-court pressure and second-chance punch flipped the game, grabbing their first lead early in the third and stretching it to 81-67 at three-quarter time on the way to a 118–91 win. 

Andrews finished with 20 points and 11 assists, McVeigh scored 21 points with six boards, while stretch four Galloway continued his rise this season with 17 points and two blocks in the absence of big man Sam Waardenburg. 

‍Last Time They Met

The last time these sides met at the Cairns Convention Centre, the Taipans burst out of the gates with a 13-0 run but couldn’t sustain it, falling 81-68 to the JackJumpers in a contest that turned into a physical arm-wrestle.

Tasmania won the possession battle decisively on the glass (including 21 offensive rebounds) and took control after halftime before executing down the stretch.

McVeigh (24 points) and Andrews (18 points and eight assists) led Cairns, while Josh Bannan (20 points and 13 rebounds) and Bryce Hamilton (13 points) paced Tasmania.

Injury Crisis

‍Tasmania’s depth is being tested as their injury toll continues to climb, with import guard Bryce Hamilton (ACL) joining Will Magnay (toe) and Sean Macdonald on the sidelines for the remainder of the season.

With Majok Deng also in concussion protocols, the JackJumpers, similar to the Taipans, have been forced into a next-man-up mindset and a shorter, reshuffled rotation.

Both sides are without their premier interior anchors, with Cairns missing Sam Waardenburg (ankle) and Tasmania without captain and towering centre Magnay. 

It puts extra emphasis on second-chance points, rim protection and who can manufacture scores in the paint without their primary centre.

Physical forward Josh Bannan will be a threat, averaging 15.2 points and 9.5 rebounds while recently racking up 26 points and eight rebounds against the Hawks.

Under JackJumpers head coach Scott Roth, Tasmania are built for a slow, grinding brand of basketball. Making games physical, possession-by-possession

At their best, the 2024 NBL Champions turn games into scraps, where defence and rebounding set the tone and every bucket feels earned.

New Colours and Familiar Faces

A trio of Taipans will face their former club, headlined by 2024 Finals MVP McVeigh, alongside centre Marcus Lee and gritty guard Lachlan Barker, who have all worn the JackJumpers colours.

The reunion runs both ways with Tasmania guards Ben Ayre and Majok Deng both having previously suited up for Cairns (with Deng currently sidelined in concussion protocols).

‍Kyle Adnam:
“(JackJumpers) are a very hungry team, they’re still right there for that sixth place spot. We’ve just got to match that hunger, we’ve had a really great couple of days on the floor and we’re ready to rock for Friday’s game.”

“(Bryce Hamilton and Will Magnay) are big outs, but in their absence other guys always step up, they get more usage, more opportunity and confidence. All sorts of things come into play. They're two big outs but we respect everybody. We’ve seen it as well with the injuries we’ve had all year and you never know how it’s going to show up on game night, so we need to bring our best.”

Lineups

‍Taipans

PG – Andrew Andrews / Lachlan Barker / Kyle Adnam

SG – Mojave King / Kody Stattmann / Lloyd McVeigh

SF –  Jack McVeigh

PF – Kyrin Galloway / Admiral Schofield

C – Marcus Lee / Jed Richardson‍

JackJumpers

PG – Tyger Campbell / Brody Nunn / Ryley Haywood

SG – David Johnson / Ben Ayre / Nicholas Stoddart

SF – Nick Marshall / Jacob Richards / Anthony Drmic

PF – Josh Bannan

C – Archie Woodhill