BIO: Tristan Forsyth was born in Melbourne (VIC) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Waverly basketball program. He also has represented Waverley, Knox, Dandenong, and Frankston basketball associations as a junior player.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Tristan Forsyth made his NBL debut with the South East Melbourne Phoenix at 23 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

Forsyth joined the South East Melbourne Phoenix as a development player in 2021, as they looked to improve on their debut season, with coach Simon Mitchell providing franchise player Mitch Creek with some additional talent. Cam Gliddon and Reuben Te Rangi (both via Brisbane) were added to help spread the floor, providing more room for Creek to operate inside, and rookie Kiwi duo Izayah Mauriohooho-Le’afa and Mike Karena came on as development players.

Phoenix fans celebrated when Yanni Wetzell, who was on a number of NBA radars after a standout career at the University of San Diego State, only to see him exercise his European out clause and signed with German team Riesen Ludwigsburg. Imports Ben Moore and Keifer Sykes were then added to finalise the roster.

Due to COVID-19, the NBL was forced to postpone its season and start in January 2021, with the majority of players also asked to reduce their salaries due to the financial pressure caused by the pandemic. The impacts of Covid also created passport complications for Wetzell, who spun 180 and returned to play for the Phoenix after all.

Wetzell (11.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists) quickly established himself as one of the best young bigs in the competition, and together with Creek (18.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists), who led the team in scoring, and rebounds, provided a powerful one-two punch for the Phoenix.

South East Melbourne evolved into the highest-scoring team in the NBL, getting high-level production from Keifer Sykes (14.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.0 assists), Kyle Adnam (12.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists), Cameron Gliddon (10.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.5 steals) and Moore (10.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists), who would all top score for the team in different games.

Mid-season, the Phoenix had the opportunity to add Australian Boomers forward Ryan Broekhoff to the roster, who had spent the season sitting on the sidelines, rehabbing a fractured leg and hoping to sign another NBA deal. Broekhoff (7.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 0.8 steals) played out the last 19 games for the Phoenix, signing as an injury replacement player for Dane Pineau, his arrival also pushing development player Mike Karena out of the rotation.

South East Melbourne (19-17) finished in fourth place and reached the NBL playoffs for the first time in their second NBL season. They would go on to face Melbourne (28-8) in a semifinal series, played in empty arenas in Sydney, with both team’s unable to play in Melbourne due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The team split the first two games of the series playing at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, with Creek (26 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists) leading the team in scoring in game two before returning home to play the decider at home. Leading United by as much as 15 points in the second quarter of the final game of the semi-final series (32-15), they gave away a turnaround of almost 30 points to finish 10-point losers (84-74). The Phoenix’s rebounding deficiencies (second last in the league for rebounds) were a major reason for the loss, combined with a season-high scoring effort from United’s big man Jock Landale (27 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks), who shot 11-13 from the floor and a perfect 3/3 from beyond, didn’t make things any easier.

Creek (19 points) and Reuben Te Rangi, who delivered a season high scoring night (22 points), were the key contributors for South East Melbourne in their final game of the season.

Forsyth, saw minimal playing time, appearing in only four games and scoring a total of two points.

2021/22
After featuring in four games during his first year as a development player, Forsyth was re-signed to a second development contract in 2023. After making their maiden Finals appearance the year prior, South East Melbourne’s first move was re-signing coach Simon Mitchell (one year deal), who then went about retaining the majority of the team’s local core, locking in Kyle Adnam, Ryan Broekhoff, Izayah Le’Afa and Mitch Creek re-signing.

Although both Keifer Sykes (to NBA) and Yanni Wetzell (to New Zealand) would exit the club, they would be replaced by Tohi Smith-Milner (via Melbourne), Zhou Qi, a member of the Chinese national team and imports Zach Hankins and Xavier Munford.

South East Melbourne started the season on fire, winning three of its first four games, but after injuries to Qi and Ryan Broekhoff, a disappointing second half of the season saw the Phoenix manage to win only six out of their last 14 games and finish in sixth place (15-13). The only high in the second half of the season was a overtime win over Perth (102-100) that ended the Wildcat’s 35-year playoff streak.

Forsyth appeared in four games in his second season (the same as his first season in the NBL), failing to score.

TASMANIA JACKJUMPERS
2023/24
The JackJumpers entered their second year with most of their roster locked into multi-year deals, with the only major exits being import duo Josh Adams and MiKyle McIntosh.

While fans lamented the loss of Adams, the team’s leading scorer, coach Scott Roth swiftly replaced him with perhaps an even better talent in Milton Doyle and brought in Rashard Kelly to replace McIntosh.

With Will Magnay (5.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks) recovering from a foot injury and captain Clint Stiendl (4.6 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.6 assists) sidelined from a knee injury from playing for Australia at the FIBA Asia Cup, Tasmania got off to a shaky start.

Losses to South East Melbourne (79-84), Cairns (84-106) and New Zealand (65-71) saw them sitting equal last with Brisbane three games in. In a battle for the bottom of the ladder, they defeated Brisbane in overtime (90–86) to earn their first win of the season, thanks primarily to Doyle’s 32 points and 4 assists.

Tasmania then rolled off a four-game wining streak which propelled them back into the top six and within playoff contention, where they stayed for the rest of the season.

Milton Doyle (17.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 steals) led the team in scoring, while Jack McVeigh (14.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists) increased his scoring for the fifth consecutive season and was the team’s best local player this season.

Tasmania finished the season in fourth place (16-12), earning a spot in the debut of the NBL’s play-in tournament.

A casualty of the regular season was point guard Josh Magette (10.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.0 steals) copping an accidental elbow to the face in Tasmania’s final regular season game against the Hawks. The JackJumpers’ leader and floor general required surgery to fix a broken cheekbone and fractured eye socket and would miss the entire playoffs.

Import Rashard Kelly (12.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists) as well as development player Sean MacDonald (6.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists) and Isaac White (5.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.6 assists), an injury replacement for Stiendl and Magnay, would fill the void of Magette during the playoffs and after defeating Cairns (79–87) in the play-in qualifier, Tasmania would face second seed New Zealand (18-10) in the semifinals.

In game one, Tasmania would struggle to score, managing only 68 points as a team, their third-lowest score of the season with Kelly (12 points) and Doyle (10 points) the only two players to reach double figures.

Doyle (23 points and 5 assists) would make sure the JackJumpers would even the series with a home win (89-78) in game two., but New Zealand were too strong back on their home floor, closing out the series defeating Tasmania by 15 points (77-92).

MacDonald would take home the club’s Coaches Award at the end of the season.
Players Award: Isaac White
Defensive Player: Will Magnay
Fan Favourite: Jack McVeigh
Club MVP: Milton Doyle

He delivered his best game of the season in a win over Illawarra (92-89), racking up 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block.
Kelly delivered a solid effort, missing only one game for the season and averaging 12.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists 0.9 steals, 0.5 blocks. He delivered his best game of the season in a win over Illawarra (92-89), racking up 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block.

Milton Doyle (17.2 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists 1.7 steals, 0.2 blocks across 31 games
– Jack McVeigh (14.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists 0.7 steals, 0.3 blocks across 32 games
– Rashard Kelly (12.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists 0.9 steals, 0.5 blocks across 31 games
Josh Magette (10.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists 2 steals, 0 blocks across 28 games
– Sean MacDonald (6.3 points, 2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists 0.5 steals, 0 blocks across 32 games
– Will Magnay (5.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 0.9 assists 0.5 steals, 1 blocks across 22 games
Isaac White (5.3 points, 2 rebounds, and 0.6 assists 0.3 steals, 0 blocks across 28 games
Fabijan Krslovic (5.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1 assists 0.6 steals, 0.3 blocks across 32 games
-Clint Steindl (4.6 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.6 assists 0.5 steals, 0.1 blocks across 19 games
– Matt Kenyon (4.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.7 assists 0.4 steals, 0 blocks across 21 games
-Sam McDaniel (4.2 points, 2 rebounds, and 0.4 assists 0.7 steals, 0 blocks across 14 games
-Jarrad Weeks (3.7 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.5 assists 0.3 steals, 0 blocks across 31 games
-Jarred Bairstow (1.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.6 assists 0.3 steals, 0 blocks across 22 games
-Tristan Forsyth (0.4 points, 0.2 rebounds, and 0 assists 0 steals, 0 blocks across 5 games
Walter Brown (0.4 points, 0.3 rebounds, and 0 assists 0 steals, 0.1 blocks across 8 games
Josh Tomasi (0 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assists 0 steals, 0 blocks across 1 games

NOTES—
Mid-season team captain Clint Steindl inked a new two-year deal, seeing him remain in Tasmania until at least the 2024/25 season.
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Isaac White was added as an injury replacement player
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The former Brooklyn Net was electric in his first season in the NBL. He averaged 17.2 points per game on 44.1 per cent shooting across the regular season and Playoffs, and was Tasmania’s go-to guy when the game was on the line.
His performances saw him rewarded with the first ever All-NBL First Team selection by a JackJumpers player.
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=concatenate(“”———————————– ————————————- Returning from America full of confidence after beating the Phoenix Suns, the 36ers never got going, falling to the JackJumpers 97-72 in front of over 8,000 fans at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

The 25-point margin was the JackJumpers’ biggest victory in team history. Tasmania got off to a blistering start, nailing seven three-pointers in the first quarter to establish a 32-10 lead after 10 minutes Josh Magette was able to find his shooting touch after a quiet start to the season. He knocked down 23 points, with 14 of them coming in the opening period. Rashard Kelly was strong off the bench, putting up 19 points. Craig Randall II was the 36ers’ leading scorer with 18 points but had some questionable shot selection.””,K270,”” The Tasmania JackJumpers have sent a major statement to the NBL by dismantling the Perth Wildcats, 103-72. It is Tasmania’s fourth win in a row as Scott Roth’s men confirm themselves as a force to be reckoned with this season. A 34-17 second quarter blew the game open for the JackJumpers who cruised to victory from there. Jack McVeigh’s 17 points led the way for the JackJumpers with strong contributions also from Rashard Kelly (16 points, 8 rebounds), Milton Doyle (15 points, 10 rebounds) and Matt Kenyon (14 points). Bryce Cotton’s 14 points was Perth’s best — 3/11 A defensive clinic from the Tasmania JackJumpers has propelled them to a 85-77 victory over the Perth Wildcats. The defeat adds to the pressure on the Wildcats, who have now lost 5 games in a row for the first time since January 2005. It is also their third straight loss at home. While Bryce Cotton was able to get his offensively, providing 26 points, Tasmania were able to hold the rest of the Wildcat’s to 17-of-43 shooting from the field. Jack McVeigh led the way for the JackJumpers with 22 points. Josh Magette (18 points) and Milton Doyle (15 points and 10 rebounds) were key contributors for Tasmania in the win. Tasmania owned the boards, out-rebounding Perth 27-11 in the second half and 48-32 for the game. — 5/11 The Brisbane Bullets have hung on by the skin of their teeth to clinch their third straight win, overcoming a last quarter surge from the Tasmania JackJumpers to secure the 74-72 victory. Tasmania star Jack McVeigh had a chance to send the game to overtime but missed a mid-range shot at the buzzer. Aron Baynes continued his strong form and led Brisbane with 16 points and 9 rebounds. Nathan Sobey contributed 14 points and 7 assists, while big man Tyrell Harrison had 12 points. Jason Cadee suited up for his 350th NBL game in the win. McVeigh led Tasmania with 17 points. —- Stiendl suffered a knee injury while playing for the Australian Boomers at the FIBA Asia Cup in August 2022 which saw him miss the first half of the NBL season.

Mid-season team captain Clint Steindl inked a new two-year deal, seeing him remain in Tasmania until at least the 2024/25 season. — 26/11 A barnstorming finish from the Tasmania JackJumpers has helped them take down Melbourne United, 94-90. The JackJumpers trailed for majority of the game and found themselves down 86-81 with four minutes remaining. It was all Tasmania from that point though, as Scott Roth’s men ended the contest on a 13-4 run to stun the John Cain Arena crowd. Milton Doyle was massive for the JackJumpers down the stretch, hitting several clutch shots. He led Tasmania with 23 points while Jack McVeigh added 17 points and 7 rebounds. The result also continued the JackJumpers’ recent dominance over United, as they have beaten them in six of their last seven meetings. Melbourne has now lost three straight games. Rayjon Tucker had a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds and captain Chris Goulding poured in 21 points. — 4/12 Late game heroics from Milton Doyle has helped the Tasmania JackJumpers leave Brisbane with a 99-84 victory over the Bullets. With less than five minutes remaining the JackJumpers were down two points before Doyle charged a 14-0 run to help Tasmania build a late lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Doyle scored a season high 33 points, including several clutch buckets, while also setting up his teammates to hit big shots during the defining final period. Jack McVeigh provided 16 points and 7 rebounds for the JackJumpers while Will Magnay took another step forward to his best form with 10 points and 5 rebounds. The Bullets were highly competitive throughout the game, with Nathan Sobey leading the way with 20 points. —- 11/12 The Tasmania JackJumpers have used an epic fourth quarter performance to surge home against the Sydney Kings and record a 84-76 win. Being down 14 points in the fourth period, on the home court of the reigning champions and ladder leading Kings, would spell defeat for most teams but not the ever-resilient JackJumpers. Tasmania’s suffocating defence held Sydney to a lowly 6 points in the fourth, whereas the JackJumpers stormed home with a 26-point final period. The run turned a 72-58 deficit into a 84-76 win. The Grand Final rematch also saw a great battle between guards Milton Doyle and Derrick Walton Jr. Both players led their teams in scoring, with Doyle putting up 25 points for Tasmania, while Walton Jr scored 21 for Sydney. — 25/12 With more than 300,000 people watching the Hungry Jack’s National Basketball League on Christmas, a new tradition has begun in Australia. The game is being hailed a success with the Sydney Kings’ 101-80 victory over Melbourne United the most viewed game on ESPN so far this season, and the 3rd most watched program on Foxtel on Christmas. The contest delivered a viewership reach of more than 300,000 people across all platforms on ESPN, Kayo and Channel 10. “”The initial numbers are incredibly positive and give us confidence Christmas games will become an NBL tradition,”” NBL Executive Director and Owner Larry Kestelman said. “”The game was a huge success on and off the court and provides us with a strong platform to build on. Having an estimated reach of more than 300-thousand people is a fantastic result considering it was the first ever professional sporting event to be played on the day.”” A big crowd of passionate and loud fans attended Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney for the first professional sporting fixture in Australia’s history, while it was one of the highest digital traffic days across the NBL social media channels, website and app. “”The combination of a big TV audience, great attendance, and digital engagement gives us great confidence there is genuine demand for live sport on Christmas and I am confident this event will become something our fans and all sports’ lovers look forward to each year,”” Kestelman added. Kestelman says the NBL is already considering more Christmas Day games next season. “”Given the very encouraging numbers we’ve received so far, we would be open to scheduling a double-header on Christmas next year,”” Kestelman added. “”There are always plenty of learnings when you break new ground and trailblaze like we have with this game so for us, it’s about building this as a tradition now and growing the event each year. “”We will continue to speak with all our key stakeholders, including our clubs and broadcast partners, with a view to scheduling more blockbuster Christmas games as part of our fixturing moving forward.”” — 26/12 The Tasmania JackJumpers were delighted to host Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess of Denmark and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Denmark, and their children Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine along with their extended family as guests of the JackJumpers at last night’s home game at MyState Bank Arena. The club is proud to represent the state of Tasmania on the national and international stage, and to welcome former Tasmanian Crown Princess Mary and her family back to her home state to attend the game was a highlight in the club’s short history. The Royal family’s interest and attendance is a testament to the quality of the League and the impact of the JackJumpers on the Tasmanian community. Members of the Royal family told club officials that they thoroughly enjoyed the game day spectacle and look forward to attending a JackJumpers game again in the future. Tasmania JackJumpers defeated New Zealand Breakers 93-82 in the Boxing Day blockbuster at MyState Bank Arena. — 1/1 The Tasmania JackJumpers have started 2023 with a bang by recording a 99-74 victory over the South East Melbourne Phoenix. Tasmania’s defensive pressure was intense from the start and it helped them establish a 14-point lead at quarter time. The JackJumpers kept the foot on the gas throughout the contest to run away with a comfortable victory. Milton Doyle led the way for the JackJumpers with 25 points, 7 assists and 7 steals while Isaac White provided plenty of energy with 18 points off the bench.”

In 2022/23, Forsyth averaged 0.4 points, 0.2 rebounds, and 0 assists as the JackJumpers finished in fourth place (16-12).

Tristan Forsyth played three seasons in the NBL, playing for both the South East Melbourne Phoenix and the Tasmania JackJumpers..

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Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.