NBL: Tasmania JackJumpers overcome New Zealand Breakers thanks to MiKyle McIntosh

As the JackJumpers rolled the New Zealand Breakers for the third time this season, Launceston soaked in Tasmania's newest sporting side.

The lights, noise and excitement of Saturday night had been a rare occurrence for Launceston, the last time they hosted a state team in basketball was Launceston Casino City played in July 1982 and beat the Nunawading Spectres 83-81 at Elphin Sports Centre.

"Just looking at the stands and seeing all the JackJumpers stuff is remarkable," JackJumpers coach Scott Roth said post-game.

"I was here last year and there was no JackJumpers gear and now I look up there and every little kid has got it on and I am really excited about the future of this franchise."

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The strong Launceston crowd roared for every shot as the New Zealand Breakers matched it early with the JackJumpers.

After being comfortably defeated in their previous two meetings with Tasmania, the Breakers backed the all-round ability of Ousmane Dieng (17 points) and Robert Loe (12 points) under the post on the attacking end to great effect in the opening half.

The JackJumpers claimed the opening term as they found rhythm from mid-range led by the bench unit stars Clint Steindl and MiKyle McIntosh (21 points).

However, the Breakers, missing star Yanni Wetzell, kept finding ways to facilitate shots at the free-throw line as they claimed the second term.

The visitors were helped by Tasmania struggling with their radar from the three-point area (0-11 in the first-half) which had previously been a strength.

Scott Roth's side averaged 36.0 three-point attempts and made 15.3 per game at 42.6 per cent over past three games compared to the league average of 26.7 three attempts per game and made 9.1 per game at 33.9 per cent.

Waywardness from beyond the arc was chronic for both sides as they traded missed opportunities in the third stanza. McIntosh's physicality in the paint kept the home side in it as Jock Perry, the languid big man. finally landed a three-pointer in the dying embers of the third term.

McIntosh serves as the JackJumpers' point of difference in attack and he made it delivered when his side needed to scrap and get physical against a plucky Breakers side.

"There was moments where I thought he's got to get his stuff together very quickly for us to take another step," Roth said.

"We kept working with him and he kept buying into the process, he kept buying into me screaming and yelling at him, not really affecting him other than to just go do the work."

In the import's last three games he has breached the double-digit points but in his first 13 games he had only reached the mark twice.

"It was a nice game to have, the team kept trusting me and believing in me to play down there but I think the game plan from coach was to get into the paint," McIntosh said.

"Our shot wasn't falling tonight so just try to get into the paint and do everything we could ... and it worked out well for me."

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The fixture was undoubtedly a slog as New Zealand, hampered by injury and on a never-ending road trip refused to bow to a crowd hungry for a JackJumpers' win.

Whenever one side found rhythm, the other found an answer as the Silverdome was treated to a game destined to go to the wire.

Roth had always wanted his side to be strong defensively and living in the 70-80 point mark and their one-on-one match-ups meant the Breakers struggled for easy looks in the dying minutes (nine points in final term).

"We told the guys we're going to have to drive the ball, the ball is just not going in for either team, there was a few hits and misses but in general it was just not falling from the three-point line," Roth said.

"We knew it was going to be a tough game not matter who shows up, the league is about that ... and I think it was a great experience for us to be in another tight game.

"Our defense kind of levelled things off a bit, we got a little bit more aggressive up the floor which helped us and we held them to nine points in the fourth quarter which against anybody at anytime is a recipe for success."

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