'Magic' Johnson poured 32 points in just 17 minutes

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American import David Johnson ($232,900) was magical, missing just one shot on his way to a scorching 32 points in just 17:39 minutes to lead the injury-depleted Tasmania JackJumpers to a 122-112 win on the road against Illawarra on Friday, October 9, 2026, in Round 4 of NBL27.

"We're not into individual accolades," 4-1 JackJumpers head coach Scott Roth said as Tasmania put up the most points in their history, according to AAP.

"We just go and play. That's been our MO for five years, going into our sixth, and guys just show up and play.

"Tonight it was DJ who was fantastic. And then he lost his discipline on a couple of fouls that he just shouldn't be getting involved in. But every night seems to be somebody stepping up a little bit, and the group is pretty strong together when they're on point.

"Yeah, just a team effort."

Scoring guard Johnson, 25, went 9-from-10, including 5-from-6 from three and 9-from-9 at the line, before fouling out. The JackJumpers tuned up the Hawks in the first half, shooting more than 70% from the field to lead by 20 (67-47).

"We played pretty well for three quarters and then just had a miserable fourth quarter," Roth said.

"It was very, very unacceptable by us - undisciplined and just not what we're about.

"But we did enough work in those three quarters to obviously give us a little bit of a cushion there.

"Our guys just drop their heads and do their work. We're just grinding away, and it's a next-man-up mentality with us in general.

"To come into a building like this that is quite volatile at times to play in, I thought we were pretty poised for about three quarters."

Watch

NBL27

Illawarra Hawks vs Tasmania JackJumpers | Round 4 Highlights

Watch the highlights as the Illawarra Hawks take on the Tasmania JackJumpers in Round 4 of NBL27 on October 9, 2026.

The Hawks are now 1-5 and have given up an average of 107.7 points per game. Illawarra held the 36ers to 92 in its only win.

"Just a tough day in the office for us," head coach Justin Tatum said.

"I mean, we had 112. The other team had 122. So, not too proud of that, but as I said, it's just a tough day in the office.

"We've got to play better defence.

"I just said, we've got to keep doing our best. We're practising it. We're working it. Guys are buying in. Guys are showing the effort.

"It's not that nobody wants to. We've just got to do a better job of it.

"Just keep trying to do different coverages. But David Johnson scoring 30-something points in 17 minutes - some guys got it going.

"Bannan (Josh Bannan ($317,500)), who's not normally making threes, was three-for-six, and [Gold] had similar attempts or makes. So, you've got to live with something, and what we lived with, those guys found a way to make shots."

Rookie Ben Gold ($69,000) had the best game of his young career. He had 14 points (5-from-8) and three rebounds in 16:06 minutes.

"It's a lot of fun when things are going your way," Gold said.

"To start the season, I've had games that were the opposite, especially last game.

"It's just sticking with it, seeing it through. Coach and everyone else gives me confidence to go out there every single day and lay my body on the line and play for the team.

"At the end of the day, that's all that matters."

What you need to know

• The Tasmania JackJumpers beat the Illawarra Hawks 122-112 at WIN Entertainment Centre in Round 4 of NBL27.
• Tasmania won the first quarter 32-22 and the second 35-25 to lead 67-47 at half-time, then held on as Illawarra won the third 26-24 and the fourth 39-31.
• David Johnson ($232,900) scored 32 points in 17 minutes before fouling out, on 9-from-10, 5-from-6 from three and 9-from-9 at the line, and Kelan Martin ($277,000) top-scored for Illawarra with 23 on 7-from-11.
• Tasmania made 26 of 32 free throws and Illawarra 14 of 17, a 12-point gap at the line in a ten-point game.
• Illawarra made two more field goals, 42 to 40, from 11 more attempts, but Tasmania shot 64.5 percent to the Hawks' 57.5 and assisted on 26 of their 40 baskets.

Tasmania JackJumpers

• David Johnson ($232,900) top-scored with 32 points in 17 minutes on 9-from-10, including 5-from-6 from three and 9-from-9 at the line, before fouling out.
• Josh Bannan ($317,500) added 25 points, seven rebounds and four assists on 10-from-17, including 3-from-6 from three.
• Taran Armstrong ($304,700) had 17 points and five assists on 6-from-12, including 4-from-4 at the line.
• Ben Gold ($69,000) scored 14 points on 5-from-8, including 3-from-4 from three.
• Will Magnay ($269,300) had 14 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and two blocks on 4-from-4, including 6-from-8 at the line.
• Nick Marshall ($203,400) had eight points and five assists on 2-from-5 in a team-high 33 minutes.
• Kody Stattmann ($116,800) added six points on 2-from-3 in 19 minutes.
• Tasmania shot 40-from-62 from the field, 16-from-28 from three and 26-from-32 at the line, with 30 rebounds, 26 assists and 10 turnovers.

Illawarra Hawks

• Kelan Martin ($277,000) top-scored with 23 points on 7-from-11, including 3-from-5 from three and 6-from-6 at the line.
• William Hickey ($331,600) added 21 points and four assists on 9-from-12.
• Milton Doyle ($274,700) scored 20 points with three steals on 8-from-18, including 4-from-10 from three.
• Sam Froling ($228,200) had 12 points and four rebounds on 5-from-8.
• Kyle Adnam ($69,000) scored 11 points in nine minutes on 4-from-6, including 2-from-3 from three.
• Daniel Grida ($92,300) scored nine points on 3-from-3, including 3-from-4 at the line.
• Lamar Patterson ($210,900) had six points, three rebounds and two assists in under eight minutes.
• Illawarra shot 42-from-73 from the field, 14-from-27 from three and 14-from-17 at the line, with 25 rebounds, 21 assists and eight turnovers.