Are you not entertained by NBL's 'Mr Clutch' McVeigh

• ‍Brisbane import Terry Taylor hit with two-match ban as NBL sanctions melee fallout‍
• Vision disputes 36ers Mike Wells' melee punch claim‍
• Sydney Kings flex title credentials against Illawarra

Are you not entertained – or surprised by Jack "Clutch" McVeigh?

McVeigh, coming off a NBA two-way contract with the Houston Rockets last season, poured in 40 points to go with eight rebounds as the Cairns Taipans inflicted a ladder-impacting 96-93 overtime loss to the Tasmania JackJumpers in round 19 of NBL26 in Cairns on Friday, January 30, 2026.

The 29-year-old forward signed with the Taipans for a million dollars and delivered on the return of investment, knocking down to massive threes in regulation and a pair of clutch free throws in the overtime to secure Cairns' eighth win of the season.

"Wins have been far and few in between, so anytime we can sort of do it in front of our home crowd — and they were loud tonight — it was good," Taipans head coach Adam Forde said.

"I mean, credit to Tassie. I know they’re battling with some injuries, and Tyger Campbell at the end was cramping up a little bit because it’s been a hot day today. Not again Tasmania — we were up 15 and they just battled away and really rattled our cage.

"It was good that we could sort of get the momentum back in our favour. The extra five minutes of basketball — free basketball for everybody — which was good.

"But again, happy with the win, sure.

"Jack was pretty amazing down the stretch of the fourth quarter. Made a few big threes. Always good to see him with the ball in his hands in that situation, especially because he draws so much attention. That’s another reason we tied it up a little bit in the third.

"We expect Jack to bail us out of some bad offense. The momentum shifted back in our favour a little bit when some other guys were making plays — like the man next to me. We were getting him involved in a little bit of that rub action in the middle, because Jack draws so much attention that it opens up some lanes.

"It’s a bit of a juggling act trying to mix it up between Kyle (Adnam) and Moe (Mojave King) and Lachie (Lachlan Barker) and Stat (Kody Stattmann), but I think Stat just took the ball by the horns tonight and really closed it out for us."

Stattmann delivered 18 points and four boards as well as a big time left-handed lay-up with 21 seconds left to put the Taipans up three, 93-90.

JackJumpers Majok Deng, who finished with 28 points, missed the tying three with a second left to send it into a second overtime.

"It felt great," Stattmann said.

"Haven’t really been in that position that much, so just wanted to be aggressive and come off the ball. When I saw a gap, just take it. I felt really good.

"Obviously when you’re feeling good and your confidence is really high, I usually take that. I just found the gaps off the on-boards and they were kind of messing up the switch, so I found the lane and just kept taking it."

Both clubs are decimated by injuries. Cairns went in without point guard Andrew Andrews, Alex Higgins-Titsha (season), Reyne Smith (foot) and Sam Waardenburg (season) while Tasmania has lost Will Magnay, Bryce Hamilton and Sean Macdonald Knee for the season.

It was Deng's first game back after a concussion.

The Breakers sixth-placed chase is absolutely alive after their win against Melbourne United. They are 11-17 with five games to play, chasing sixth-placed Tasmania 12-17 with four games to play while the Illawarra Hawks, after losing badly to the Sydney Kings are 10-17 with six games to play.

Key Details

• Round: 19
• Result: Cairns Taipans 96 def. Tasmania JackJumpers 93 (OT)
• When: Friday, 30th January 2026
• Where: Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns
• Attendance: 3,862
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Jack McVeigh (Cairns Taipans) starred with 40 points, eight rebounds and two assists in 45 minutes.
• Majok Deng (Tasmania JackJumpers) scored 28 points, eight rebounds and one assist in 42 minutes.

What Happened

The Taipans established early control with a dominant first half, leading 54-39 at the break after outscoring Tasmania 27-17 in the opening period and matching that output in the second quarter. McVeigh was already finding his rhythm, connecting from downtown and establishing himself as the primary offensive weapon for the home side.

Tasmania responded with renewed energy in the third quarter, outscoring Cairns 26-17 to cut the deficit significantly heading into the final period. The JackJumpers' comeback was fuelled by improved ball movement and more aggressive defensive pressure, creating transition opportunities that hadn't been available in the opening half.

The fourth quarter belonged to Tasmania as they completed their remarkable comeback, outscoring the Taipans 19-13 to force overtime. Deng was instrumental during this surge, converting crucial free throws and providing the interior presence that had been missing earlier. The JackJumpers' 14 turnovers compared to Cairns' eight highlighted their improved ball control as the game progressed.

McVeigh's outstanding performance was the difference maker throughout the contest. The Taipans captain shot an efficient 9-from-25 from the field, including 5-from-14 from beyond the arc, and was perfect from the charity stripe, converting all 17 free throw attempts. His ability to draw fouls and convert under pressure proved crucial in the tight finish. Kody Stattmann provided valuable support with 18 points on 50% shooting, while Mojave King contributed 16 points off efficient 6-from-12 shooting.

For the JackJumpers, Deng's 28-point effort on 8-from-18 shooting kept them competitive throughout. Josh Bannan delivered an impressive double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds, cleaning the glass effectively to give Tasmania second-chance opportunities. David Johnson added 17 points while shooting a solid 50% from the field, including an efficient 3-from-5 from deep.

The overtime period showcased both teams' resilience, but the Taipans' superior free throw shooting proved decisive. Cairns converted 27-from-31 from the foul line compared to Tasmania's 21-from-25, with McVeigh's perfect record from the stripe providing the crucial margin. The Taipans won the extra period 12-9.

Defensively, both teams struggled to contain their opponents' primary scorers, but Cairns' ability to limit Tasmania's three-point shooting to just 26.67% compared to their own 31.03% provided a subtle but important advantage. The JackJumpers' superior rebounding effort (53-41) kept them in the contest, with Bannan's work on the boards creating additional possessions.