Grit & Grind JackJumpers A "Joy to Coach"

Scott Roth pointed to his team being “manhandled” and “succumbing to the aggressor” in a loss against the South East Melbourne Phoenix on Wednesday night.

For a team that prides itself on its physicality, its grit and grind, that can’t have been an easy thing to hear for the JackJumpers’ players. 

But as has been the Tasmanian way over the past 18 months, they responded, and responded in style. 

Travelling to Cairns and a packed stadium is challenging to say the least, but the JackJumpers were up for the fight on Friday night. 

“It was just a great credit to our guys, the grit and grind and ‘Defend the Island’ model of what we do,” Roth said after an eight-point win over the Taipans. 

“To bounce back after a tough one, to come into this building with that type of team, to come away with a win is obviously really good for all of us.

“Our model is ‘our defence travels’ and if you bring it with you everywhere you go, you at least have a chance in these types of games to win. 

“You’re just not going to go in buildings and outscore people … we’re not built that way.

“We’re built to play defence and try to keep the ball in front of us the best way we can. For the most part, we did a nice job against a very potent team.”

Roth couldn’t be prouder of his team’s ability to bounce back from adversity.

“I put this team together with humble and hungry guys that were just high-character guys that would have a lot of fight,” he said. 

“They’re just a joy to coach. 

“They have moments, like in South East, where it wasn’t quite on point, but I just know and trust these guys to do their jobs.

“It’s just the next man up and it’s a very, very tight-knit group that loves each other, works hard for each other and will go through thick and thin with them.

“It’s a comfort as a coach to know you have those sort of characters in the locker room … no one’s bitching and moaning, no one’s playing locker room lawyer, no one’s talking behind anyone’s back. Everyone’s doing their job and focused on what we’re supposed to do here, as we build this franchise and build this brand.

“We’re 18 months into this franchise, sometimes it feels like we’ve been here for 30 years. It’s only 18 months and they’re setting a great tone for future JackJumpers.” 

The victory took Tasmania to 14-11 on the season, and just as quietly as they snuck under the radar in their debut season, it seems a similar story in NBL23. 

The last three games won’t be easy – Sydney and Perth in Hobart, before travelling to Illawarra – but the JackJumpers are right in the mix for another finals berth. 

“We’re just trying to take it one game at a time and trying to win the day,” Roth said. 

“We’re trying to make 600,000 people in Tasmania proud of this group and when they put an effort like this together, the state should rally around that, which I know they do.”

Tasmania will now enjoy a full week off before hosting the Kings at MyState Bank Arena.