Tasmania are more likely to be with out star level guard Josh Magette for the NBL playoffs after he suffered a suspected damaged cheek bone of their fourth-place sealing 87-63 win over Illawarra to complete their season.
The JackJumpers (16-12) wanted a victory to remain away from South East Melbourne Phoenix in fifth heading into their last common season sport, and did so with suffocating protection on Saturday.
They held Illawarra to simply 47 factors by means of three quarters and took a 21-point lead heading into the ultimate time period earlier than cruising to a 24-point margin towards the Hawks.
Ought to the Breakers beat Brisbane in Saturday’s later sport, the JackJumpers will face Cairns in a third-versus-fourth matchup.
However they’re more likely to be with out Magette of their second journey to the NBL postseason after a third-quarter blow to the face on protection.
The American guard took successful defending a fast-break and didn’t return to the sport with important swelling.
Magette averaged 10 factors per sport, 4.Four assists and three rebounds this season and is the first ball handler for Scott Roth’s facet.
“Magette’s in some severe ache and it is gonna be most likely not a great end result for him,” Roth mentioned.
“We’re simply hoping to rally round him and help him the very best we are able to.
“It is fairly an costly night time for us simply typically. However the actuality is, it is sports activities and also you simply do what you need to do and these guys simply proceed to get the following man in, the following man up.”
Magette’s departure was the one blemish in a dominant efficiency, the JackJumpers holding Illawarra to 12 third-quarter factors – simply three greater than of their final outing towards New Zealand.
The Hawks have been taking part in for pleasure and to ship retiring Tim Coenraad and Kevin White out with a win, however fell for his or her 25th lack of the season and completed with their worst document in franchise historical past.
It was Coenraad’s 374th and last sport for Illawarra after making his debut in September 2009.
He tallied eight factors and 2-Four from three-point vary, ending his profession a legend in Wollongong and third on the membership’s all-time video games performed checklist.
Coenraad’s facet began the competition struggling from the sphere as Tasmania opened up an 11-point margin halfway by means of the time period on an 11-Zero run.
The guests would take a 10-point lead at quarter-time, hitting three of their seven three-point makes an attempt and eight gamers scoring a basket.
Makes from behind the arc would dry up for each groups within the second quarter, stopped by fixed fouling with Tasmania committing 9 and Illawarra 10 by the primary break.
Simply because the Hawks would garner some momentum, the JackJumpers would reply rapidly with transition buckets as their lead grew to as excessive as 15 earlier than the primary break.
The JackJumpers distributed the ball unselfishly for 10 assists on the break in comparison with Illawarra’s one as Jack McVeigh (11 factors by halftime) led the best way for a 46-35 scoreline on the primary break.
JackJumpers guard Milton Doyle led all-comers with 20 factors, ending with a double-double after grabbing 10 assists.
