Round 18 Game Preview: Kings vs. JackJumpers

By Matt McQuade

 

It’s hard to believe.

No, I’m not talking about the remarkable nine-game winning streak that the Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings find themselves on right now.

Nor am I talking about the Kings’ devastating performance last Saturday night when they walked into RAC Arena in Perth and eviscerated the Wildcats.

What’s come out of nowhere this season, and what’s been a massive surprise, has been the feel-good story of the year, the Tasmania JackJumpers, who Sydney will face at MyState Bank Arena in Hobart this Sunday afternoon.

These JackJumpers and their outstanding head coach Scott Roth have done some incredible things as a debut franchise in NBL22; not least of which was victory in two games last week on the road – the first when they also went into Perth and shocked the Wildcats and the second when they outlasted the Bullets in Brisbane.

In the preseason, most pundits had the league’s newest franchise locked into a wooden spoon at the end of the regular season.

But that ain’t happening.

This is a team that has beaten Melbourne, Perth and Illawarra on the road and Sydney at home – not to mention they also led the Kings by nine points at Qudos Bank Arena in Round Three before succumbing in the fourth quarter.

It’s been an amazing effort. To look at this line-up on paper you wouldn’t think they’d be able to stay competitive with some of the powerhouse squads of this incredibly tough league, but they’ve not only been a threat in almost every game they’ve played, they find themselves even at this late stage of the regular season with a legitimate shot at reaching the playoffs.

Tasmania is the best team in the NBL in defending the perimeter, holding opposing teams to well under 30% from three-point range; they are in the top three for defensive efficiency and they execute offensively in the halfcourt just about as well as anyone in the competition.

You can count Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings Head Coach Chase Buford as one man who understands just how dangerous an opponent the JackJumpers are, especially on their home floor, as the purple and gold seeks to extend their unbeaten run to an incredible ten straight games.

“Tassie is playing as well as anybody in the league right now,” Coach Buford said.

“We were disappointed with our performance the last time we went down there; we didn’t shoot the ball very well and could have played better defence.

“But if we’re being honest with ourselves, six out of eight quarters we’ve played against Tassie they’ve beaten us.

“We have to be better executing versus their pressure. They’re the hardest playing team in the league.

“I like to think we play hard, but Scott has those guys competing their butts off.

“If we think we’re going to come in there and it’s going to be anything other than a dogfight, we’re crazy.”

There’s no doubt Chase is on the money, and it’s going to take a heck of an effort for the Kings to beat the JackJumpers in what is already one of the most formidable homecourt environments in the National Basketball League.

Aside from their collective strengths as a group, Tasmania also boasts some guys capable of getting off the chain offensively, starting with their import guard combo of Josh Magette (12.6ppg, 4.1rpg, 6.0apg, 1.2spg) and Josh Adams (15.5ppg, 3.4rpg, 2.2apg). Magette has become one of the best floor leaders in the NBL; Adams is an explosive athlete who can pull up on a dime and knock down the perimeter shot.

Then there’s ballplayers like the irrepressible Jack McVeigh, a deadly outside shooter in Clint Steindl, lunch-pail types in Fabijan Krslovic and Jarred Bairstow, a classic 3-and-D athlete in Sam McDaniel and even the strength and mobility of oft-maligned third import MiKyle Macintosh.

With a playoff spot still a reachable goal for the JackJumpers, playing at home in front of a sell-out crowd this Sunday, Sydney faces a significant challenge to say the very least.

Fortunately for fans of the purple and gold, the hottest team in the league will be well-prepared to deal with whatever is thrown their way this Sunday.

Led by the magnificent Jaylen Adams (20.4ppg, 5.0rpg, 6.3apg, 1.3spg), who should be the outright NBL MVP favourite after his superb effort in Perth last Saturday, the Kings are, quite frankly, absolutely loaded, especially with two-way monster and leading Defensive Player of the Year candidate Xavier Cooks (14.6ppg, 9.4rpg, 2.2apg, 1.7bpg) back in the fold.

Jarell Martin (16.6ppg, 8.6rpg) and Ian Clark (13.3ppg, 2.5rpg) are two-thirds of the best import trio in the league; Dejan Vasiljevic (11.2ppg) is a devastating scorer when he’s rolling from the outside and Makur Maker is emerging as a real X-factor for this ballclub after his sensational outing in Perth when he went for 15 points and nine rebounds in the Kings’ destruction of the Wildcats.

Everything is humming for the purple and gold right now. Defensively stout and offensively potent, they are playing with poise, great confidence and unselfishness, as evidenced by five players scoring at least 15 points and the team combining for 19 assists in that tremendous victory at RAC Arena.

The Kings will be favoured to get the job done this Sunday, even on the road.

But this won’t be easy.

Tasmania is formidable opposition to say the least.

Sydney, let’s stay focused and keep this terrific run going.

 

WHO

Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings vs. Tasmania JackJumpers

WHEN

Sunday 3 April, 1:00pm tipoff AEST

LOCATION

MyState Bank Arena, Hobart

TV

ESPN, Kayo Sports

RADIO

Cluch Radio

THE PLAYERS

Kings

Jaylen Adams (import); Dejan Vasiljevic; Wani Swaka Lo Buluk; Jarell Martin (import); Makur Maker (Next Star)

Xavier Cooks; Ian Clark (import); Angus Glover; Biwali Bayles; Tom Vodanovich; Matur Maker; Jaylin Galloway (development player); Jayden Hodgson (development Player); Ignatius Mitchell (development player)

JackJumpers

Josh Adams (import); Josh Magette (import); Matt Kenyon; Jack McVeigh; Fabijan Krslovic

MiKyle McIntosh (import); Clint Steindl; Jarrad Weeks; Jarred Bairstow; Sejr Deans (development player); Sean Macdonald (development player); Jock Perry (development player)

THE COACHES

Kings

Chase Buford (NBL rookie head coach, record 14-7)

JackJumpers

Scott Roth (NBL rookie head coach, record 12-10)

2021/2022 REGULAR SEASON SERIES

Tied 1-1

Kings def. JackJumpers 83-71 @ Qudos Bank Arena, Round 3

JackJumpers def. Kings 77-70 @ MyState Bank Arena, Hobart, Round 10

NBL LADDER

Kings 14-7, second

JackJumpers 12-10, sixth

LAST GAME

Kings def. Perth Wildcats 102-80 @ RAC Arena, Perth, Round 17

JackJumpers def. Brisbane Bullets 84-82 @ Nissan Arena, Brisbane, Round 17

KEY STATS

Kings

Points: Jaylen Adams, 20.4ppg

Rebounds: Xavier Cooks, 9.4rpg

Assists: Jaylen Adams, 6.3apg

JackJumpers

Points: Josh Adams, 15.5ppg

Rebounds: Will Magnay, 5.6rpg

Assists: Josh Magette, 6.0apg

KEY MATCHUP

Jarell Martin vs. Jack McVeigh

This is back-to-back games where I’ve pinpointed Jarell Martin as being involved in a key matchup. And this one is especially fascinating given that he and his direct opponent on Sunday afternoon are very different in the way they go about things. On the one hand, you’ve got Jack McVeigh, a guy who plays with great energy and verve, even as an undersized power forward who looks like he should be playing as a 2/3 swingman and not as a post target; on the other, a you have a genuine wide load with quick feet, super post moves and an ability to stretch the floor in Martin. One of the things opposing teams haven’t been able to do against the JackJumpers is take advantage of their thin frontcourt without Will Magnay – the challenge for Jarell and his teammates is to get Sydney’s four man into situations where he can play bully ball with McVeigh inside. Conversely, Tasmania will look to spread the floor and get it to McVeigh where he can either shoot the triple or put the ball on the floor and attack the rim against Martin. It’s an interesting battle of two totally contrasting styles.

THE QUESTIONS

Can the Kings maintain their winning run?

Will Sydney find a way to be productive from the perimeter against a stingy Tasmanian defence?

HISTORY

All-time Head-to-Head

2 games played; series tied 1-1

In Tasmania

1 game played; JackJumpers lead 1-0

At MyState Bank Arena

1 game played; JackJumpers lead 1-0

DID YOU KNOW?

Sunday afternoon represents the Kings’ 11^th visit to the Tasmania JackJumpers’ home venue, which was formerly known as the Derwent Entertainment Centre when the tenant was the Hobart Devils. However, interestingly, this is only the 10^th time Sydney will be playing a team from Tasmania in the stadium. The other game played by the Kings at what is now known as  MyState Bank Arena was against the Adelaide 36ers on Monday 29 November, 1999; Round 9 of the 1999/2000 season, as part of an NBL initiative at the time – Taking it to the Streets. Sydney won that game 100-97 with Scott McGregor scoring 20 points and import guard Drew Barry dishing off for six assists. That was the last time the Kings won a game in Hobart.

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