Culture win for tough to beat JackJumpers

Scott Roth was proud how the Tasmania JackJumpers fired the Teal Game for the SHE Gynaecological Cancer Group and made sure to not just get a win, but to make it a big one further consolidate NBL sixth spot.

Playing the annual Teal Game and raining awareness and funds for such a worthy cause that so many involved in the JackJumpers have a personal connection with meant Friday night was already a special occasion at MyState Bank Arena.

Then to top it off, the JackJumpers players held up their end of the deal beating the Brisbane Bullets and along the way producing a new franchise record score of 114 points with a new highest winning margin of 44 points.

Not only that, but it strengthens the hold the JackJumpers have on sixth position with just two games of the regular season remaining with them holding a two-match lead over the New Zealand Breakers along with significant percentage.

With the occasion of the Teal Game and then with the way the players responded to the occasion and to have such a big win that's crucial in the context of the season, and it was a win that will be tough to top on a number of fronts for Roth.

"For us this is a culture win and it's why we do what we do, and it's a statement for the whole club and the state of why we show up and it's definitely a culture win for me of just doing the right thing, and showing up and showing pride in this game that's bigger than basketball," Roth said.

"Our guys felt that and the energy was incredible by them and they played fantastically for 40 minutes, and just with the Harris family and how hugely important Jo's legacy is to everyone, there was so much extra feeling for this game.

"And then I just think that the fans feel that we've been going through some tough times and we've stuck our heads up now and put a couple of games together with a lot of adversity that we've hit also.

"For our guys to show up, I think our fans are inspired by the grit and grind of what we do, and how we try to stay humble and hungry across the board to defend this island, and to make sure we're doing right by Tasmanians."

While obviously putting up the highest ever score for the JackJumpers and setting a new record margin is always a nice feeling, but no matter how the game panned out on Friday night, it was always going to be the most important one of the season for Roth.

With the personal connection to the late Jo Harris and now her husband Scott who has been so instrumental in keeping her legacy alive and starting the SHE Gynaecological Cancer Group, the chance to raise awareness and funds for such a good cause means the world to him.

"We do a lot of things internally that we don't need to make public but we try to do things that highlights vulnerability with our players over the course of a few months, and we did that again this week," Roth said.

"We had a situation where one of the things that we did was Archie Woodhill talking about breast cancer that's his jolt in his life with his mum and now his aunt, and it's just in everyone's family in some way.

"The cancer is everywhere, it sucks, and most people can feel the energy in the building of what that means and that's why we make such a focus on your why's, and why you are showing up and who you're going to represent because it is bigger than basketball.

"Obviously I've lost two family members to cancer and it's just a terrible, terrible disease, and if we can bring recognition to it and support Scott and his family and Jo's legacy, it means the world to me and it's the biggest game of the year every year for me."

While going into any game the last thing Roth would ever want entering his player's minds was trying to win by as much as possible, once they had a big lead on Friday night, he did want them to not let it slip.

Not only did JackJumpers remain two games clear of the Breakers as a result of the win, but by pushing out to a record 44-point margin, it means they are also 102 points ahead of New Zealand so with two matches remaining, they're in a mighty strong position to stay sixth.

"We had mentioned it in some timeouts in the middle of the third and the fourth that the points matter, and that we had to stay focused on shot selection and the quality of our shots," Roth said.

"We didn’t want to turn it into a rat race game where instead of winning by 40 or 35 and we end up winning by 12 or 15 because we're anxious and stop doing all the right things.

"We were conscious of just keeping on playing the right way more importantly, and taking really good shots knowing that the points did matter.

"The good news was that the young guys got in and got some valuable minutes for us that will hopefully benefit them down the road, and we were able to maintain what we were doing so that was a really good sign."

One thing that Roth knows that no matter who they have available any game including should they end up playing any finals, they are going to be mighty tough to beat and they will continue to fight and represent Tasmania with pride.

"Well, I hope not, and you're going to have to expend a lot of energy to beat us and that's just the way it's been," Roth said.

"Nothing's been given to us and we'll scrap and fight as best we can, and keep doing the best we can as far as we go this season."