Rd15 Game Preview: Tasmania JackJumpers v Melbourne United

GAME DAY PREVIEW 

Tasmania JackJumpers v Melbourne United

8.00pm AEDT, Saturday 3^rd January  

Battle of Bass Strait

MyState Bank Arena

Watch live on ESPN via Disney +

Game Day Partner – Marinus Link  

RECENT FORM

Melbourne United and Tasmania tipped off the NBL26 season almost three months ago and their first rematch came last week in an open-air spectacular where the JackJumpers dominated United from the tip to secure a 92-73 pre-Christmas win.

It’s been a roller coaster festive season for JackJumpers fans sine then, alternating wins and losses over a heavy game schedule.

On Wednesday night, Tasmania JackJumpers showed trademark grit in a fifth game in 11 days to close 2025 and only a split-second cost them taking the Illawarra Hawks to overtime in a New year’s Eve thriller.

Scott Roth highlighted Tasmania’s effort through a demanding schedule as the focus now to the home clash with Melbourne United on Saturday.

"We played as hard as we possibly can and that's what we do every single night. We keep showing up and are in the fight, which is really pleasing.

"[The loss] is frustrating obviously, but we swung and maybe didn't execute quite as well in some situations there.

"Ultimately, they keep competing, which is fantastic in this short amount of time and all these games we got that are coming our way."

Being back in front of their home fans at MyState Bank Arena, where the JackJumpers have only won three of their eight matches this season, Roth is confident his side will channel their famous mantra going into the game.

Meanwhile, United come off a 5 point win over a struggling Bullets team – a game, which on paper, could have and should have had a far bigger winning margin.

After beginning the season with nine straight wins, this United team has struggled to find its form and are leaking points at an alarming rate.

Having lost five of their last seven games, United have allowed an average of 95.3 points per game to be scored against them, all while they try and figure out their offensive issues as well.

That’s one aspect of the game that coach Dean Vickerman is profound in executing, that during offensive dry spells his team locks up defensively to stay competitive.

United are eighth in field goal percentage (44 per cent), points per possession (1.13) and effective field goal percentage (49.8), while also being second-worst in three point percentage (29.7) during that span.

History tells us that we will get some incredibly exciting contests between these two and the chess game from both coaches will be an interesting watch.

INJURIES

Tasmania JackJumpers

IN Anthony Drmic (Back)

OUT Kobe Williamson (Foot), Sean Macdonald (foot), Jacob Richards (NRP)

Melbourne United

IN tbc

OUT Finn Delany (Personal), Shea Ili (Hamstring)

CONCOURSE INFORMATION 

Head to the MyState Bank Arena external concourse from 6.00 to enjoy activities and give aways from the JackJumpers and our commercial partners.

Pre-game activities will include;

• Tasmania Jewels crowns
• Huon Giveaways
• Win the Wagen! Win a VW T-Roc, thanks to JMC, by guessing how many balls are in the car which will be on concourse for every game this season. $10 per entry.
• Green hairspray and product samples, thanks to Chemist Warehouse
• Face painting
• Bubble artist 
• Basketball at our Hoops Trailer, thanks to SRT
• Clappers, thanks to Tyrepower
• JMC car display