Doyle stars as Tasmania sink Perth in OT thriller

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Doyle stars as Tasmania sink Perth in OT thriller

Outstanding imports Milton Doyle and Jordon Crawford have helped desperate NBL champions Tasmania outlast the Perth Wildcats in a thrilling 84-79 overtime win.

Doyle’s three-point buzzer-beater sent Sunday’s contest to an extra *******, where Majok Deng landed the JackJumpers’ go-ahead triple with 25 seconds left to play.

Perth’s Kristian Doolittle coughed up a crucial turnover when he took too long on an in-bounds pass and the home team held on in front of a raucous MyState Bank Arena crowd.

Doyle (20 points) top-scored for his side, with Crawford and Deng (16 each) both important in dragging Tasmania back into the contest after a horror first quarter.

Will Magnay posted an influential double-double (13 points, 13 rebounds) after escaping suspension for unduly rough play in Friday’s road loss to Cairns.

The JackJumpers have now squared their season ledger at 2-2, while the Wildcats have slipped to 1-3.

Bryce Cotton had a game-high 24 points for Perth, with Kristian Doolittle (14 points, 14 rebounds) and Keanu Pinder (seven, 14) also threatening to drag the visitors over the line.

The Wildcats were up 23-9 at quarter time and led for the first 34 minutes of a mostly dour contest before Tasmania exploded at the start of the fourth *******.

A 16-2 run put the home side in front for the first time with five minutes remaining in regulation, and they looked likely winners with a 65-60 advantage with 53 seconds left on the clock.

But Perth weren’t done with yet and both teams led during a see-sawing final minute of regulation time.

Elijah Pepper’s three-pointer looked to have won it for Perth with less than six seconds left and Ben Henshall nailed a pair of ice-cool free throws before Doyle’s buzzer-beater levelled the scores at 71-71 and sent it to overtime.

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