JackJumpers Hold Off McGee-Led Hawks in Wollongong

JaVale McGee lit up Wollongong on his NBL debut, but even the brilliance of the three-time NBA champion wasn’t enough to prevent the Tasmania JackJumpers from claiming a 91–86 win over the Illawarra Hawks at the WIN Entertainment Centre.

It was a night of celebration for the Hawks, who raised their championship banner before tip-off to mark last season’s triumph. They also unveiled their biggest recruit in years, the 37-year-old McGee, and he more than lived up to the hype. The 983-game NBA veteran put on a show with thunderous alley-oop finishes, rim protection, and relentless energy, finishing with 32 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks on 15-of-20 shooting — the best debut performance for the Hawks in the 40-minute era.

But the JackJumpers spoiled the party. Despite McGee’s dominance, Scott Roth’s team held the upper hand for much of the night in a clash of the league’s last two champions. Tasmania built an 11-point buffer early in the final term through a Tyger Campbell triple, and though Illawarra rallied with an 11–0 run to briefly snatch the lead, the visitors had the answers down the stretch.

Majok Deng was the difference-maker late. The veteran forward scored seven quick points, threw down a huge block, and nailed a crucial three-pointer before limping off with what looked like a hamstring issue. He finished with 14 points, four rebounds, and two blocks. Bryce Hamilton again led the scoring with 21 points, while Campbell added 17 points, four boards, and four assists. Josh Bannan chipped in with 11 points and seven rebounds as Tasmania improved to 2–1 on the season, backing up last week’s road win in Perth.

The Hawks couldn’t quite turn McGee’s spectacular debut into a victory. Tyler Harvey scored 19 points and grabbed six rebounds, while Todd Blanchfield added 12. But import guard Jaquori McLaughlin endured a rough start to his NBL career, finishing with five points on 1-of-8 shooting, though he did hand out six assists.

The opening stages belonged to McGee, who brought the Wollongong crowd to its feet with a series of alley-oop dunks off passes from McLaughlin. He had 10 points in the first quarter alone, and by halftime had amassed 18 points, six rebounds, and two blocks. Yet Tasmania’s work on the glass — eight offensive rebounds in the opening half — helped them edge ahead 49–45 at the main break.

Illawarra kept pushing through McGee and Harvey, but the JackJumpers’ resilience shone through. Deng and Campbell answered Illawarra’s fourth-quarter surge with back-to-back triples, steadying their side before Hamilton closed out the contest at the free-throw line.

For Illawarra, McGee’s arrival promises to keep them in championship contention. For Tasmania, the victory showed their depth and composure even without injured import David Johnson, sidelined with a leg issue.

The Hawks now head west to face the Perth Wildcats on Thursday night, while the JackJumpers continue their road swing against the Brisbane Bullets on Saturday.

Final score: Tasmania JackJumpers 91 defeated Illawarra Hawks 86.