Repeating effort now key for JackJumpers

Scott Roth knew going with three younger and new imports to the NBL would have growing pains, but he likes how things are coming together with the Tasmania JackJumpers but knows their most important game is now on Boxing Day.

Coach Roth always knew he had a youthful JackJumpers team in NBL26, but it was only after their best and most emphatic win of the season in the open air game at John Cain Arena against Melbourne United that he talked about them as the youngest group.

That has meant there might have been some more inconsistencies than he would have liked to date, but they've now won four of the last six games to be solid in sixth spot at 9-11 and have been especially impressive out of Tasmania winning seven of 11.

While happy with the progress, Roth knows there's still a lot of work to do.

"I think just in general for us it's a work in progress and it's been quite the progress, but slowly things have been falling into place just not consistent," Roth said.

"Today things kinda all fell into place with the consistency of what we were doing defensively finally, and the ball moved well enough offensively so I think it was just a combination of a lot of hard work by our guys and by our staff.

"We're not always real good yet but we're trending I think in the right way with some positivity."

While Roth was happy with what they did under the stars to beat Melbourne by winning the rebound count by 20 including having 14 offensive boards to five, and getting to the foul line 31 times, he knows backing it up is key.

The JackJumpers now host the New Zealand Breakers at MyState Bank Arena on Boxing Day after getting to enjoy Christmas without a game for the first time in three years.

Roth knows the win over Melbourne counts for nought if they don't back it up.

"We just have to hit the repeat button which is something that we've been talking about for three or four weeks and just being able to duplicate things over and over again," Roth said.

"There's a maturity and a growth area there when it comes to being able to solve problems quickly and when we are on point in those areas we play some good basketball, but the consistency has not been there throughout.

"We've had our moments and tonight was a moment, but now can we regroup here in three days and go play the Breakers who have given us humongous amounts of problem, and can we hit the repeat button and do some of these same things over and over again."

Import trio Tyger Campbell (20 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals, two blocks), Bryce Hamilton (18 points) and David Johnson (14 points, 12 in the fourth quarter) all played key roles in Tuesday night's 92-73 win over United with Roth impressed with each of them.

"I knew we were young but I didn’t realise that we are the youngest team in the NBL so there's a growth period for the three imports that have never played over here," Roth said.

"They have to learn how to win in a building like this and adjusting to the style of play and referees, and there's all growth in there that's positive and sometimes it's not so positive.

"But I think the maturity level of us and the growth is definitely an area that we can continue to work on with how tough the league is, but for these guys that are just coming in as three brand new imports trying to find their way in our system, has not been easy.

"The growth we have is exciting for us and we just continue to stack days, that's all we talk about and we don't talk about anything other than can we just win a day, and then we move on to the next day."

The JackJumpers have gone with largely experienced imports in their history so far including the likes of Josh Magette, Josh Adams, Milton Doyle, Jordon Crawford and Marcus Lee, but it was a different approach in NBL26.

Hamilton, Johnson and Campbell are all just aged 25, 24 and 25 but have shown encouraging signs with Hamilton now among the elite of the NBL, Johnson showing he can be a gun finisher as he returns from a calf injury, and Campbell contributing strongly as a point guard whether starting or not.

"They're lively and they like to play, and they enjoy competing and they're great with their vitamins and all the other work that we do," Roth said.

"So they are showing up with a lot of energy and a lot of passion, and they are continuing to get better in those areas.

"Then there's the style of play and for example with DJ coming from the G League which is kinda wide open and not as physical in general, and coming here there's an adjustment for guys like that but he's a skilled player and is making those adjustments.

"Then Tyger and Ham having been in Germany and coming over to this league, the physicality is ramped up again so they're learning their way also and those three guys bring a lot of good  youth to us.

"It's really fun to come to work with them and they're absorbing a lot of things and it's been really good for us."