JackJumpers prevail as McGee stars for Hawks

The excitement was palpable as three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee starred on debut for the defending NBL champion Illawarra Hawks, but the Tasmania JackJumpers answered every challenge to win 91-86.

It was the opening game of the championship defence this season for the Hawks as they raised their championship banner at the WIN Entertainment Centre.

They have added quite an imposing new piece for their title defence too with monster 983-game NBA veteran centre McGee who more than lived up to his reputation.

The 37-year-old was brilliant and his ability to catch alley-oop passes and finish them, throw down dunks and even more impressively be a defensive threat, rebounder and to run the floor well was outstanding.

He had the best ever first game in the 40-minute era for the Hawks with 32 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks on 15/20 shooting, but Tasmania had the answers.

Despite what McGee was doing, the JackJumpers did feel in control of the game most of the way in the battle of the last two NBL champions.

Tasmania opened up an 11-point lead to start the fourth quarter with a triple from point guard Tyger Campbell. Then despite the Hawks answering with 11 straight points, the JackJumpers kept on responding.

Majok Deng came up huge with the veteran South Sudanese Olympics representative scoring seven quick points, having a huge block and being instrumental in the JackJumpers prevailing by five.

He did appear to injure a hamstring late but had 14 points, four rebounds and two blocks with Bryce Hamilton delivering another 21 points, Campbell 17 points, four boards and four assists, and Josh Bannan 11 points and seven rebounds.

The win improves Tasmania to 2-1 on the season backing up a win in Perth after a first up loss in Tasmania despite the absence of import David Johnson with a leg injury.

The Hawks weren’t quite able to celebrate their first game of the season with a win at home but they got more out of McGee than even they envisioned.

Tyler Harvey also had 19 points and six rebounds with Todd Blanchfield adding 12 points but new import guard Jaquori McLaughlin struggled with five points on 1/8 shooting despite six assists.

Anthony Drmic opened up with a couple of early three balls for Tasmania but it was JaVale McGee up the other end setting the home fans alight with a couple of early alley-oop finishes on passes from Jaquori McLaughlin.

The three-time NBA champion then had a couple more dunks late in the quarter after he had a rest for 10 points in the opening term but scores were level at 21-21 by the end of one.

McGee also started the second quarter on fire with another couple of buckets and he ended up with 18 points, six rebounds and two blocks after his first half in the NBL.

However, the JackJumpers were doing well despite his significant presence with eight offensive boards helping them win the possession game and to be leading 49-45 by half-time.

McGee again started the second half impressively even hitting a mid-range jumper for another six quick points and Tyler Harvey even kept the Hawks close, but Tasmania kept on having the answers.

The JackJumpers were back out to an eight-point lead by three quarter-time which became 11 early in the fourth but the Hawks answered with the next seven points to force Scott Roth into a timeout.

That tuned into an 11-0 run with Illawarra nabbing the lead but the JackJumpers again responded with triples to Majok Deng and Tyger Campbell which turned into the eventual five-point triumph.

The Hawks will now play their first road game of NBL26 on Thursday night in Perth against the Wildcats while the JackJumpers remain on the road to take on the Brisbane Bullets on Saturday.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL SEASON 2025/26

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 86 (McGee 32, Harvey 19, Blanchfield 12)

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS 91 (Hamilton 21, Campbell 17, Deng 14)

BOX SCORE