"It feels like home": Magnay rapt to sign

The Tasmania JackJumpers has been the third stop of Will Magnay’s NBL career, but the star center says his decision to sign a new two-year contract with the club was simple due to the fact “it feels like home”.

Magnay has played 53 games in three seasons at the JackJumpers in what has been an injury-hit run for the former New Orleans Pelican, but when he’s been fit and firing he’s shown the ability to be one of the most lethal interior presences in the NBL.

Prior to arriving at the JackJumpers ahead of NBL22 he spent three seasons at the Brisbane Bullets – where he was named the competition’s Most Improved Player after bursting onto the scene in NBL20 – and half a season at the Perth Wildcats.

“There was nowhere else I wanted to be. I had a quick, brief look overseas and thought ‘nah, that’s not for me’,” Magnay said.

“This feels like home and I’ve done nothing since improve since I’ve been here. I’m very grateful for the opportunities they’ve provided me and the support they’ve given me over the years, so I’m happy to be back here for two more [years].

“It's just improvement and where I feel I can play my best basketball and be the happiest, this feels like home and this feels like my family so why would I want to leave that?”

“They support like no other team I’ve been around, even Jack (McVeigh) this morning was checking in on me and said ‘take care of yourself first, we’ll go out and do it for you’.

“They just want me to be my best self, they’re all very talented players but they’re better people. It’s a pleasure to come into work and compete against all of them and compete with them, and you go out there knowing everyone has your back. It’s an awesome place to be.”

The JackJumpers are gearing up for a do-or-die clash against the Perth Wildcats on Monday night where the equation is simple. Win, and force a Game 3 back in Perth on Wednesday. Lose, and their season is over.

Magnay has identified his team’s foul discipline, which was also brought to attention by Scott Roth ahead of Game 1, as a crucial factor in Monday’s game.

“That’s tough to win any game [allowing 32 free throws]. I think for the majority of the game we controlled the other things we wanted to control – rebound count and turnovers – you let them get away,” he said.

“They shot 14 in the first quarter and we set the tone early that we’re going to let them shoot free throws, and we need to do a much better job of that.”

Magnay’s direct opponent Keanu Pinder proved the match-winner for Perth in Game 1 after making five three-pointers to lead the team to victory and the JackJumpers big says the opposition center likely won’t have as much space to fire away in Game 2.

“I think I let Keanu get away with shooting threes, so I’ll climb into him a bit more and make him a bit less comfortable.”

Game 2 of the Playoff Series between Tasmania and Perth tips off on Monday night at 7:30pm AEDT, live on ESPN via Kayo.