The New Zealand Breakers continue to loom large over the NBL to start 2024, making it four straight wins coming from behind to beat the Tasmania JackJumpers 98-93.
Games between the two teams haven’t disappointed over the past 12 months, including their semi-final battle last season.
The New Year's Day match at MyState Bank Arena in Hobart on Monday was another tremendous contest.
Tasmania had a 4340-strong crowd behind them as they tried to bounce back from the Christmas Day loss to the South East Melbourne Phoenix.
The JackJumpers raced out to a 20-8 lead despite the absence of front-court pair Will Magnay and Majok Deng.
Sean Macdonald might be a development player, but he knocked down three three-pointers in the second quarter alone for Tasmania.
However, New Zealand scored the last six points of the half to tie it at 40-40.
The JackJumpers were shooting superbly from downtown and make six long bombs in the third quarter, but New Zealand had a more well-rounded attack and put up 30 points in the period to lead 70-64.
When Macdonald landed his seventh three of the game with just over three minutes to go, the JackJumpers were again up by four, but the Breakers just wouldn’t be denied.
Parker Jackson-Cartwright took charge down the stretch and, along with a strong and-one play from big man Mangok Mathiang that drew a fifth foul on Marcus Lee, New Zealand closed it out to win by five.
Monday's victory makes it four straight wins for the Breakers, who move into sixth spot with an 8-9 record.
Import point guard Jackson-Cartwright was outstanding with 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting, including 3-of-5 from downtown.
Anthony Lamb continued to show his quality with 18 points, while Mathiang played probably his best game in Breakers colours with 16 points and seven rebounds.
Lithuanian Next Star Mantas Rubstavicius also continued to impress with another 16 points.
Breakers coach Mody Maor likes how his team is growing.
"This is a tough place to play, this is a very tough team to beat and not a team you want to go down against to give them momentum," he said.
"So being able to respond in that situation is great and one of those learnings that we'll take with us moving forward."
Tasmania (10-9) have now lost two straight games but remain fourth, with Macdonald producing the best performance of his 59-game NBL career with 23 points on 7-of-9 shooting from behind the arc.
Lee stepped up in the absence of Magnay and Deng with 14 points and 13 rebounds, with Anthony Drmic adding 13 points and Milton Doyle 12.
Jordon Crawford struggled with six points and four turnovers on 2-of-13 shooting.
"They made the plays they needed to down the stretch and we didn’t, which has kind of been our recipe all season," said JackJumpers coach Scott Roth.
"We've had seven or eight of these type of games and haven’t been able to capitalise on any of them, and it's very difficult to give up 98 points in your own building and think you'll win.
"Then you walk them to the foul line 34 times and we only shoot nine, that recipe is doom for us and has been since I've been here and would be for most teams."
