Chef's kiss: Phoenix put the 'Hurt' on JackJumpers

• Phoenix forward Matt Hurt leads all scorers with 29
• Phoenix go fourth with 15-11 record
• JackJumpers drop to seventh at 12-14

South East Melbourne Phoenix unleashed a second-half onslaught to dismantle the Tasmania JackJumpers 116-80 (Game Centre) at the State Basketball Centre on Saturday, January 25, 2025 in round 18 of NBL25.

What began as a closely contested affair quickly transformed into a one-sided rout, as the Phoenix outscored their depleted opponents 70-35 after the break, including a blistering 41-point fourth quarter.

The JackJumpers, already missing key players Majok Deng, Will Magnay, and Sean Macdonald, were dealt another blow with veteran Anthony Drmic sidelined due to illness. Despite these setbacks, Tasmania started strong, leading by as much as seven points in the first half. Their resilience was commendable, but ultimately unsustainable against a Phoenix side desperate to bounce back from their midweek loss to the Sydney Kings.

The turning point came late in the second quarter when Phoenix coach Josh King made crucial substitutions.

"Until 2:28 left in the second quarter we were playing lethargic and going through the motions, waiting for them to give us the game," King said.

"We made a couple of substitutions, in particular Matt Kenyon, and he picked up the level and everybody followed him.

"From that point on, we dominated the game and wore them down."

The statistics tell the tale of two vastly different halves. The Phoenix shot a blistering 57% from the field for the game, with seven of their 13 three-pointers coming in the final quarter alone.

Matt Hurt led all scorers with 29 points, while Joe Wieskamp contributed 20 points, eight rebounds, and an impressive five blocks in his return to the starting lineup.

For the JackJumpers, the absence of their key players was keenly felt as the game wore on.

Coach Scott Roth summed it succinctly

"We played two and a half quarters of halfway decent basketball," he said.

"But ultimately we can't score at any kind of rate. We have three more games ahead of us ... our margin of error is zero."

The victory keeps South East Melbourne's hopes for a top-two finish alive, improving their record to 15-11.

Tasmania's third consecutive loss drops them to 12-14, falling behind the Adelaide 36ers (12-13) in the race for the final playoff spot.

As the NBL season enters its final fortnight, both teams face critical matchups.

The Phoenix will travel to face the Perth Wildcats on Friday, while the JackJumpers return to Melbourne for a crucial clash with United at John Cain Arena next Saturday. With playoff implications on the line, every game becomes a must-win scenario for these teams as they jockey for postseason positioning.