3 minute read
Huge late buckets from Majok Deng and Milton Doyle have helped Tasmania overcome a 14-point third-quarter deficit in a stunning overtime defeat of Adelaide.
Milton Doyle's tip-in with 0.2 seconds left in overtime has delivered Tasmania a dramatic 104-103 NBL win over Adelaide.
With the 36ers up by one point late in the heart-stopping extension at Hobart's MyState Bank Arena on Friday night, Doyle's baseline inbound pass found Majok Deng, whose baseline jumper rattled out.
Doyle missed his first tip-in attempt before leaping up and tapping the ball in for a stunning victory.
The 36ers had led by seven points with 1:09 remaining in regulation before the JackJumpers finished with a flurry to force overtime.
Ian Hummer's deuce reduced the gap to five points, then Deng slammed a spectacular alley-oop from Jordon Crawford's lob with 25 seconds left.
Adelaide just needed to hold onto possession but a horrible backcourt turnover from Lat Mayen landed in the lap of Deng, whose three-pointer tied the scores 95-95, before Sixers import Montrezl Harrell missed a tough go-ahead shot over Deng with five seconds on the clock.
"It's a remarkable win," Tasmania coach Scott Roth said.
"A team with high-character guys who are humble, hungry and do the right things - you'll go to bat with them any time.
"This is one of the greatest games I've ever been part of and without question the best home game ever in this building."
Deng (26 points) and Doyle (22) were the heroes for the JackJumpers, who weathered a 31-11 second-quarter battering and a career-best haul from the 36ers' brilliant Kendric Davis (39 points), who was supported by Isaac Humphries (21 points, 10 rebounds) and Harrell (19, nine).
Big Humphries took advantage of Tasmania's lack of size in the absence of Will Magnay (fractured toe) and Sean MacDonald - who suffered a season-ending foot injury - to rack up 11 first-quarter points and four offensive rebounds.
But at the other end, little-known JackJumpers development guard Nick Stoddart, surprisingly given the starting nod ahead of Crawford, had the quarter of his life, hitting 3-of-3 from downtown to give Tasmania a 30-22 quarter-time lead.
The Sixers' response was emphatic.
Davis and Harrell paced an 11-0 burst in an overall 18-3 run to turn Adelaide's 25-34 deficit into a 43-37 lead, before the visitors closed the half with 8-of-12 free throws to Tasmania's donuts and motored ahead 55-41.
The Jackies missed 19 of 23 shots for the term before Deng and Crawford helped the hosts rediscover their radar to close the gap to 74-65 at three-quarter-time.
Captain Dejan Vasiljevic started the fourth term with a triple to give Adelaide a 12-point cushion before Tasmania charged to the finish line.
"I thought we had control of the game for the majority of that contest and probably had it won multiple times," 36ers coach Mike Wells said.
"But unfortunately we didn't make a play at the end.
"This is a painful one."