The excitement was palpable as three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee starred on debut for the defending NBL champions Illawarra, but Tasmania answered every challenge to win 91-86.
It was the opening game of the championship defence this season for the Hawks as they raised their championship banner at the WIN Entertainment Centre.
They have added quite an imposing new piece for their title defence too with monster 983-game NBA veteran centre McGee who more than lived up to his reputation.
The 37-year-old was brilliant and his ability to catch alley-oop passes and finish them, throw down dunks and even more impressively be a defensive threat, rebounder and to run the floor well was outstanding.
He had the best ever first game in the 40-minute era for Illawarra with 32 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks on 15-of-20 shooting, but Tasmania had the answers.
Despite what McGee was doing, the JackJumpers did feel in control of the game most of the way in the battle of the last two NBL champions.
Tasmania opened up an 11-point lead to start the fourth quarter with a triple from point guard Tyger Campbell. Then despite the Hawks answering with 11 straight points, the JackJumpers kept on responding.
Majok Deng came up huge with the veteran South Sudanese Olympics representative scoring seven quick points, having a huge block and being instrumental in the JackJumpers prevailing by five.
He did appear to injure a hamstring late but had 14 points, four rebounds and two blocks with Bryce Hamilton delivering another 21 points, Campbell 17 points, four boards and four assists, and Josh Bannan 11 points and seven rebounds.
The win improves Tasmania to 2-1 on the season backing up a win in Perth after a first-up loss in Tasmania despite the absence of import David Johnson with a leg injury.
The Hawks weren't quite able to celebrate their first game of the season with a home win but they got more out of McGee than even they envisioned.
Tyler Harvey had 19 points and six rebounds with Todd Blanchfield adding 12 points but new import guard Jaquori McLaughlin struggled with five points on 1-of-8 shooting, despite six assists.