JackJumpers help Ayre get Boomers opportunity

As Ben Ayre prepares to go into camp with the Australian Boomers for the first time, he can't thank everyone involved at the Tasmania JackJumpers enough including his coaches and teammates for helping him develop plenty more already this NBL season.

Ayre was already a proven NBL player by the time he joined the JackJumpers for the 2025/26 season having played some standout basketball as a tenacious and talented scoring and shooting guard at the Cairns Taipans and South East Melbourne Phoenix.

He also arrived in Tasmania full of confidence having just led the Sandringham Sabres to an NBL1 South championship but what he's already noticed is how much he has grown especially as a leader and off-court since joining the JackJumpers.

Ayre has now been rewarded with invitation into the Boomers camp for the two games against the New Zealand Tall Blacks over the next week including at MyState Bank Arena this Friday.

A big reason for that has been the bond Ayre has already formed with JackJumpers coach Scott Roth, who was beaming with pride when talking about his new guard making the Boomers team.

"A quick story about him, he had a situation a few weeks ago where he thought he was on the Boomers list and basically shook his head, and just said he'd never make that team," Roth said.

"But I told him it was a heck of an honour and to just keep working, and about two weeks later I get a phone call at night from him telling me that he made the team. I just said 'You damn right'."

While Ayre has always been a talented player, nothing has ever come easy for him and he's had to bang down every door to get to where he is now to pull on the green-and-gold, and to be playing such a key role with the JackJumpers.

Having previously had a development player chance at the Adelaide 36ers, it wasn’t until NBL22 that he was given a chance with the Taipans as an injury replacement player that he really made his mark.

He did so immediately by taking the challenge up to Melbourne United captain Chris Goulding where he became the only player that season not named Bryce Cotton or Jaylen Adams to have a 20-point, 10-assist game.

Ayre continued to play some important roles since at the Snakes and Phoenix, and to hear both former coaches there Adam Forde and Josh King speak about him, you can see how well regarded he is.

That has continued now at the JackJumpers under Roth with Ayre playing an important role including 19 points and three assists with 3/4 three-point shooting in Sunday's home win against the Sydney Kings.

Rightfully Ayre is proud to now be joining the Boomers squad for the first time this week, but he can't help but thank everyone involved at the JackJumpers for their role in making it happen.

"It's a good honour and I'm super excited to be part of that group, but it's a lot of credit to the guys here and the coaching staff here who have helped develop me including a lot of stuff off the court to help me become more of a leader," Ayre said.

"They've helped me try to develop my game that way and it's all just a credit to everyone at the club here and the coaching staff, and my teammates."

When Ayre got that opportunity in NBL22 as an injury replacement in Cairns, he knew had been putting in the work to deserve a chance in the NBL but he also knew there were no guarantees and time was slipping away.

Fast forward to NBL26 and he's played 105 games in the league and now is about to be with for the Boomers for the first time, but the continued growth in himself as a player, leader and person since joining the JackJumpers is what stands out to him.

"It's a great honour to be recognised and to make a leap in my career or whatever you want to call it, but I just really like playing basketball," Ayre said.

"I'm really grateful to have been around a lot of great players and to learn from everyone, and being at Cairns, South East and now here at Tassie, my development is just a testament to the people I've been around.

"I've made a big leap here so far this season off the court with the coaching staff mainly being in my ear every day and teaching me stuff I haven’t really learned before.

"It's just a testament to the people I've been around and I'm just happy and proud to be part of the Jackies here."