JackJumpers' "scheme" to contain Cotton

After four straight losses, the Tasmania JackJumpers admit there's a "sense of urgency to get a win, especially at home" when they host Adelaide on Thursday.

To do so, the JackJumpers, who sit in sixth with a 5-7 record, know they need to slow the competition's most dangerous player, five-time MVP Bryce Cotton.

Adelaide's star recruit is scoring a league-leading 27.6 points per game this year and potentially on his way to a sixth NBL MVP. He scored 29 points to go with 9 assists when the teams last met in early October.

During an interview with CODE Sports, JackJumpers guard Ben Ayre, who is averaging 6.4 points in his first season in Tasmania, explained his club's "scheme" to contain the three-time champion.

"Bryce is a very hard player to stop, so you just pick things to live with and make things really hard where you can and try to put a scheme together, like the coaches do, and follow that," Ayre told CODE Sports.

"If you let him go, he might have 50 points. So the coaches will put a scheme together and as a playing group we’ve got to come out and try to execute that as best as possible."

While it appears the JackJumpers are struggling, particularly after four straight losses, assistant coach Jarrad Weeks pushed back and believes they're "trending in the right direction".

"We are very close to where we want to be," Weeks said.

"We need to bring a little bit more pressure defensively and convert a few extra possessions down the offensive end."

Thursday's Round 9 clash between Tasmania and Adelaide at MyState Bank Arena tips off at 7.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.

Read the full story here >> JackJumpers plot to shut down Adelaide star in must-win home game