JackJumpers go forward over gruelling stretch

Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth has maintained his team are a work in progress with the needle heading in the right direction this NBL season as they freshen up after a gruelling stretch ahead of a trip to Adelaide.

It's a decidedly new-look JackJumpers team for NBL26 with the youthful imports Bryce Hamilton, Tyger Campbell and David Johnson on board along with the arrival of Josh Bannan and Nick Marshall in particular.

As a result, Roth always knew it was always going to take some time for things to come together but having now just got through six games in 14 days where they won three and had a chance to win the other three, they are solid in sixth place at 11-13.

They are getting closer to being at full strength too with Anthony Drmic expected to be available to play in Adelaide on Friday night with Roth liking the direction the JackJumpers are heading in with nine games of the regular season remaining.

"We're growing and we're moving the needle in the right direction and it's not always going to perfect, and unfortunately we've had a few that we haven’t got across the line, but we're very competitive," Roth said.

"I think that's something that we continue to talk about and always have since I've been here that our competitive spirit is very, very high.

"We've been competing and we've been knocked down, but we've got back and come back after people the next game.

"That competitive spirit will take you quite a long way and it would have been easy in this stretch we've just had to get deterred and get down, or get in internal about it not going so well, but our guys whether we win or lose they just show up the next day, drop their heads and go back to work.

"I've been saying it for as long as I've been here, we just stack days and build great habits, and hopefully those will last us through the season as we build towards the end, and if we are lucky enough to do the things and do the right things, we could be a handful."

The three-man rotation in the front court for the JackJumpers might not get the recognition across the league as some other, but Roth wouldn’t want to be backing in any other trio than Will Magnay, Josh Bannan and Majok Deng.

The way each of them can be match winners been on show the last three games too with Deng starring with 21 points in the win over the South East Melbourne Phoenix before Bannan did all he could against the Illawarra Hawks with 17 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter.

Then Magnay produced one of the best individual performances by anyone of the season on Saturday against Melbourne with 27 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks.

"They're quite impactful and they're complementary of each other too which is really good and putting any combination of them on the floor has been good for us in general," Roth said.

"They continue to do a really nice job on the glass also so it's just a stable way for us to get the game a little bit slower by punching the ball inside, and getting to the foul line and slowing some things down, and allowing to get our defence set."

Having now just gone through a stretch between December 21 and January 3 where the JackJumpers played six matches in the space of 14 days and split them 3-3, Roth is relieved for his players they have six days until playing again in Adelaide.

They have put in a power of work in that time and even the games they lost were only by a combined 12 points against Perth, New Zealand and Illawarra with the JackJumpers a genuine chance to win each of them.

Roth can't ask for more from his players and now will help them freshen up ahead of taking on the league-leading 36ers come Friday night in Adelaide.

"My thoughts are that we finally get to get some rest and that's six games in 14 days, and our effort's been really good the last month," Roth said.

"We haven’t got a few across the line, but to win two in-a-row now at home is a really good sign for us just in general and these guys are looking forward to a few days off.

"They are well deserved and we'll just continue to build on what we've been doing and go back to work. I'm just happy to come out the other side."

The other bonus back on Saturday for the JackJumpers was the championship winning 270-game veteran guard Anthony Drmic took another step towards making his return having been out since October 15 with a back complaint.

He suited up against Melbourne and while he was never going to hit the floor, it was the first step in his return and Roth is now hopeful he could be back out there in Adelaide on Friday night against his former team.

"For me in general and I know for the players he's impactful because he's got a great voice, and he's been with us and understands what's going on," Roth said.

"The first step was to get him through shootaround and to be with the group, and obviously go through pre-game warm ups and sit on the bench.

"He was never going to play tonight, but he now has two or three days this coming week to play five-on-five to get some more reps underneath him, and knock on wood if everything goes well he should be ready to play in Adelaide if we need him."