BIO: Jerry Evans Jr was born in Lawndale, California (USA).

NBL EXPERIENCE

Jerry Evans Jr made his NBL debut with the Cairns Taipans at 26 years of age. He scored one point in his first NBL game.

After finishing second with a 15-13 record before losing their semifinal series 2-0 to Perth the previous season, Cairns returned under coach Aaron Fearne with Cameron Gliddon remaining captain. Travis Trice (to Brisbane), Mark Worthington (retired) and Fuquan Edwin (to Kauhajoki) departed, while Dayshon “Scoochie” Smith (via Dayton), Michael Carrera (via Marinos de Anzoátegui) and Kuany Kuany (via Chaminade) joined the roster. Carrera suffered a medial meniscus tear in his right knee during a preseason game against Perth on September 23 and underwent surgery, ruling him out for four to six weeks, with Cairns signing Jerry Evans Jr (via Sandringham) to a short-term contract as his injury replacement.

Evans Jr (1 point, 2 rebounds, and 1 block) made his NBL debut in Cairns’ opening game against Illawarra on October 6 as the Taipans defeated the Hawks 88-87, with Loughton (19 points and 3 rebounds) scoring 16 points in the second half and making the game-winning free throw with 0.8 seconds remaining and McCarron (14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal) also contributing, while AJ Ogilvy (22 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) led Illawarra. Jawai (12 points and 4 rebounds) also injured his left foot during the game, with scans later revealing a partial ligament tear which required surgery and ruled him out for 12 weeks.

Evans Jr (7.5 points and 4.6 rebounds across 22 games) arrived in Cairns after averaging 21.1 points and 9.2 rebounds with Sandringham during the SEABL season but had also spent the off-season training with Melbourne United and played in their preseason games against visiting American college teams, scoring 12 points against Wisconsin before recording 11 points and 10 rebounds against Texas. Fearne said, “I thought he played well against Wisconsin and Texas. I liked his length, his activity, his ability to defend and also be disruptive. It was impressive.” He added, “I called [United Head Coach] Dean Vickerman to get his opinion of him, and he had nothing but positive things to say. United have a similar offensive system to us, so it should be an easy transition.”

Evans played Cairns’ first four games while Carrera recovered from knee surgery before Carrera (14.2 points and 3.6 rebounds across 5 games) returned against Perth on October 22. Evans then sat out the Taipans’ next six games because Carrera had reclaimed Cairns’ import spot, with no injury to Evans reported during that period. Jawai’s foot injury created a separate vacancy, with Chris Patton (via Kilsyth) signed as his injury replacement. Carrera then suffered an ankle injury against Melbourne on November 9 and Evans was brought back into the squad, returning against Illawarra on November 18, with NBL coverage describing him as “fresh off the plane”. Carrera’s ankle failed to recover as quickly as hoped and Cairns agreed to end his contract on December 14, leaving Evans in the full-time import role for the remainder of the season. Patton’s injury-replacement stint also ended after Jawai returned in January, with Patton subsequently joining Melbourne.

Evans Jr (15 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 blocks) delivered his first major performance after returning against Sydney on December 2, coming alive during the fourth quarter and hitting a three-pointer which helped spark Cairns’ comeback as the Taipans defeated the Kings 80-71. Loughton (15 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Gliddon (12 points and 5 assists) provided support, while Jerome Randle (24 points and 3 steals) led Sydney.

Evans Jr produced his season-high scoring game against Brisbane on December 14, finishing with 18 points and 9 rebounds as Cairns’ four-game winning streak ended with a 75-74 loss at the Cairns Convention Centre. Egwu (14 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) and McCarron (12 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 steals) provided support, while Perrin Buford (17 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks) blocked Cairns’ potential game-winner in the final seconds.

Evans Jr’s best game of the season came against New Zealand on January 7, where he finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 3 blocks as Cairns was defeated 82-69 in Auckland. Gliddon (15 points and 2 steals) and Weeks (15 points) provided support, while Edgar Sosa (19 points and 6 assists) led the Breakers.

Gliddon (12.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals across 28 games) and Loughton (12.6 points and 3.6 rebounds across 28 games) led Cairns offensively, while McCarron (11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.2 steals across 28 games), Smith (10 points and 3 rebounds across 28 games), Weeks (8.3 points across 28 games) and Egwu (5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds across 28 games) were the other main contributors. Gliddon and McCarron shared Cairns’ Most Valuable Player award, while Loughton collected the Members’ Choice MVP, Coaches Award and Players’ Player awards, McCarron was named Best Defensive Player and Jawai received the Commitment to Community award.

The season was also Fearne’s last as head coach, with Cairns deciding not to renew his contract following a 19-year association with the organisation, including nine seasons as head coach. Fearne said the club had decided “that it is time for a new voice to carry the club forward into a new era.”

Cairns closed the season against Perth at Perth Arena on February 18, where Evans Jr (12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Gliddon (12 points, 3 assists, and 1 steal) led the Taipans, while Cotton (24 points and 6 assists) led Perth to an 89-61 win. Cairns finished sixth with an 11-17 record and missed the playoffs.

Jerry Evans Jr played one season in the NBL. He averaged 7.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 22 NBL games.