'Bad error' rocks Tassie as Brown shines for Taipans

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A shocking no-call has thwarted a comeback effort from the Tasmania JackJumpers as a fourth-quarter masterclass from import point guard Jaylon Brown ($277,000) carried the Cairns Taipans to their first win of the NBL27 season.

Cairns held a slender four-point lead with just 11 seconds remaining before a sideline out of bounds play from the JackJumpers led to a Dakota Mathias ($145,200) three-point attempt from the corner, where he appeared to be clearly fouled by Taipans big man Keanu Pinder ($300,000).

Unfortunately for the JackJumpers, the referees put their whistle away, and Cairns were able to record a 93-87 victory at the Cairns Convention Centre and allow Adam Forde's team to bounce back from a disappointing season opener against the Sydney Kings.

"To be very honest, from the angle I was at, I didn’t see it until the ball left his hand," JackJumpers head coach Scott Roth said.

"Until I see it on video, I don’t really know. I don’t know if he jumped into him and created the foul.

"There were a couple of bodies in that corner, so I couldn’t see it. I really can’t speak on that, unfortunately."

It's the second time a referee's decision has impacted a JackJumpers game after the controversial 'disruptive foul' issue in their win against the South East Melbourne Phoenix at home on September 21.

A foul call on Pinder would have sent Mathias, a known sharpshooter, to the free-throw line for three attempts and a chance to reduce the margin to just one point.

NBL commentator and Melbourne United championship guard Peter Hooley said there's no doubt Mathias was fouled.

"That's a really bad error," Hooley said on the broadcast.

Former NBL MVP Derek Rucker agreed with Hooley's opinion.

But the Taipans were able to make critical free-throws down the stretch to put the game away and record their first win of the season.

Brown was impressive in his first game in front of the Taipans faithful with 20 points, four rebounds and three assists and said "patience" was the key in attacking Tasmania in his post-game interview with NBL legend Mark Worthington.

Taipans v JackJumpers Photo Gallery

Cairns Taipans big man Keanu Pinder jumps to challenge Dakota Mathias' three point shot from the left corner. Photo: ESPN Broadcast

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Galloway ignites Cairns off the bench

Galloway was the difference-maker in just 18 minutes, pouring in 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting and a scorching 5-of-7 from beyond the arc. His +10 plus/minus and team-high 23 efficiency rating underlined how quickly he tilted momentum whenever he stepped on the floor.

The forward's perimeter shooting stretched the Tasmania defence and opened driving lanes for Cairns' starters, forming the backbone of a 14-of-32 team night from three at 43.8%.

What you need to know

• Cairns Taipans beat Tasmania JackJumpers 93-87 at Cairns Convention Centre in NBL27 Round 2, the Taipans' first win of the season.
• Cairns led 32-16 after a quarter, lost the second 28-13 and the third 22-21 to be level at 66-66 at the last change, then won the fourth 27-21.
• The game turned at the three-point line. Cairns made 14 of 32 from deep, Tasmania nine of 30, a difference of 15 points in a game decided by six.
• Tasmania went to the free-throw line 26 times to Cairns' 14 and gained nothing from it, making 16 to Cairns' 13. Cairns missed one free throw all night.
• Cairns' bench outscored Tasmania's 31 to four. Tasmania dressed nine players with five unavailable.

Cairns Taipans

• Jaylon Brown ($277,000) top-scored with 20 points, five rebounds and four assists on 8-from-17 in his first game in Cairns.
• Kyrin Galloway ($176,000) came off the bench for 19 points in 18 minutes, hitting five of his seven three-point attempts on 6-from-8 shooting.
• Jack McVeigh ($349,800) scored 17 on 6-from-16, taking more than twice the shots he took in Round 1.
• Malique Lewis ($207,900) posted 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds with four assists, missing once all night on 3-from-4 and 2-from-2 from deep.
• Keanu Pinder ($300,000) had 11 points and three assists on 5-from-15, and picked up four fouls.
• Sunday Dech ($69,000) scored six off the bench, and he and Lewis shared the best plus-minus on the floor at plus 17.
• Shaun Bruce ($76,500) had four assists in under 13 minutes, and Jonah Bolden ($133,600) pulled down five rebounds in a similar stint.
• Cairns shot 33-from-75 from the field, 14-from-32 from three and 13-from-14 at the line, with 33 rebounds, 20 assists and seven turnovers.

Tasmania JackJumpers

• Taran Armstrong ($304,700) led the JackJumpers with 20 points, seven assists and six rebounds on 9-from-16.
• David Johnson ($232,900) added 18 points and seven rebounds, making four of his six from three, but turned it over four times.
• Will Magnay ($269,300) had 17 points, seven rebounds and a game-high three blocks, though he made only seven of his 12 free throws.
• Dakota Mathias ($145,200) played a game-high 38 minutes for 15 points but shot 4-from-14, including 3-from-12 from beyond the arc.
• Nick Marshall ($203,400) finished with 13 points and nine rebounds on 6-from-13.
• Tasmania's bench produced four points between them: three from Ben Gold ($69,000) and one from Nicholas Stoddart ($69,000), who also had four turnovers in under 15 minutes.
• Tasmania dressed nine players. Five were unavailable: Bryce Hamilton ($293,100) with an ACL injury and no confirmed return, Josh Bannan ($317,500) with ribs and no confirmed return, Majok Deng ($214,500) with a lower leg injury and no confirmed return, Anthony Drmic ($97,800) with a back injury and a Round 5 return expected, and Ben Ayre ($117,700) with a hip flexor and a Round 3 return expected.
• Tasmania shot 31-from-65 from the field but only 9-from-30 from three and 16-from-26 at the line, with 37 rebounds, 15 assists and 12 turnovers.