Under fire duo shine in Tassie

Bounce-back performances from guard duo Sean Macdonald and Jordon Crawford were cited as crucial keys for the JackJumpers heading into Game 2 of the Championship Series, and the pair both played starring roles in Tasmania’s five-point win over Melbourne.

Crawford in particular had come under scrutiny for a string of poor shooting performances heading into Friday night’s game, however he got his team off to the best possible start with 13 points in the first quarter.

The diminutive guard didn't score after his outstanding opening term, but Macdonald took over and added 13 points of his own in almost 30 minutes of court time.

Only Milton Doyle and Jack McVeigh spent more time on the court for Tasmania than the development player.

McVeigh and head coach Scott Roth were full of praise for the duo following the win.

“He (Crawford) is a beast,” McVeigh said. “He’s one of our leaders and he’s the one leading the huddles, he’s the one our eyes go to, and we back him in every day.

“He set the tone, got us the lead, the game’s competitive and they fought back, but when he’s leading on the front foot and being aggressive, we’re a better team.”

“Our Next Star (Macdonald) was incredible,” Roth added. “He continues to shine and grow and be in the right spots at the right time, and he’s another guy that’s morphed into a hell of a player for us.

“The three years he’s spent with this group is paying dividends for him and he’s a long-term JackJumper in my eyes.

“His growth has been fantastic, his shooting and ball-handling give us another dimension, he’s playing with great confidence, and I love the work.”

Tasmania looked all but certain to be heading into Sunday’s Game 3 staring down the barrel of a series sweep, but rallied in the final 15 minutes of the game to overcome a 15-point deficit and run out as winners.

They held United to just 14 points in the final term, and chipped away at the margin in the typical gritty, high-emotion, JackJumpers way that has become so synonymous with the side.

Roth says the “never give up” attitude has been his side’s mantra since it came into the NBL.

“I thought it was a gutsy effort at the end of the day. Down 15 in the middle of the third things weren’t looking well for us, but the M.O. of our team that has been here for the last two years – this is our third year – has been not to quit, never give up and keep fighting,” Roth said.

“They just kept their composure and figured out some things, obviously we made a nice run to get it to a manageable level and then 14 points in the fourth quarter was fantastic for us. Really gutsy.

“But they’re (Melbourne) a hell of a team, it’s just one game, and a slugfest at the end of the day. [It’s] nothing we didn’t expect and I thought it was a gutsy performance from our guys.”

Game 3 of Tasmania’s Championship Series against Melbourne will tip off at 5:30pm AEDT on Sunday evening, live on ESPN via Kayo.