New Zealand Breakers' Silverdome delight as JackJumpers fall just short

American duo Parker Jackson-Cartwright (22 points) and Anthony Lamb (24) showed the packed Launceston crowd why they are the best and third-best scorers respectively this NBL season, as they continuously quietened the Silverdome's otherwise buzzing atmosphere.

For the JackJumpers, it was a hugely impactful home return for centre Will Magnay, who managed 20 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks in just 15 minutes of action.

A somewhat subdued start to the match was brought to life by the Launceston crowd when Milton Doyle hit a three-pointer from well beyond the arc.

After he repeated the trick in front of the home bench, the JackJumpers had raced out to a six-point lead.

With Clint Steindl taking to the floor for the first time, a third triple was always around the corner and the sharp-shooting captain duly delivered. A well-rounded team effort from the Breakers kept them in touching distance with Jackson-Cartwright looking the most dangerous.

Magnay's home return began with a bang, finishing Doyle's alley-oop pass with authority.

Doyle's immense first quarter continued, adding a third triple from as many attempts to take his tally to 13.

The highly-efficient quarter from both teams was capped off by Breakers skipper Will McDowell-White, whose running floater from beyond the three-point line banked in off the backboard just as the buzzer went.

With scores 31-30 in New Zealand's favour to start the second term, the visitors through former NBA player Anthony Lamb began to build an advantage.

Finding success when attacking the basket, the former Houston, San Antonio and Golden State player was finishing well through contact as he increased his contribution to 18 points not long into the second period.

Conceding 15 of the first 19 points, Tasmania struggled to find defensive answers to the Breakers, as Lamb showed why he was the league's third-highest scorer on average (19.5 ppg), but the home side soon steadied to bring the margin back to nine at the main break.

With the Breakers having scored a whopping a 56 points in the first half alone, JackJumpers coach Scott Roth would have been looking for a much-improved effort from his usually-stifling defensive unit.

And initially that's what he got, as Magnay increased his production at both ends of the floor. But after he was subbed off just two-and-a-half minutes in, the Breakers regained their double-digit lead.

The home side would once again respond through a Jordon Crawford three and a stylish Anthony Drmic finger-roll.

Trailing 79-66 to start the fourth, Tasmania were in desperate need of some consecutive stops if they were to force their way back into the contest. It took until more than four minutes for them to make inroads, but some wasteful possessions prevented them from looking too large a threat.

But still they came, whittling the lead down to just five points thanks to an inspired Magnay with 100 seconds on the clock.

And then Doyle had his moment.

Intercepting the ball in the frontcourt, the reigning club MVP slammed the ball home to make it a one-possession game.

The JackJumpers had a chance to tie or take the lead with the last possession, but Izayah Le'afa read Crawford's crosscourt pass and finished an open lay-up. An empty trip in response all but closed it, with the Breakers holding on for their third win of the season.