ROTH SETS TONE FOR ISLAND DEFENCE

NOTHING the JackJumpers do goes to script, so it was hardly surprising when their anticipated 2pm arrival in Hobart was bumped well into Tuesday evening.

The NBL’s Cinderella story has made it all the way to the NBL finals after the JackJumpers knocked off defending champions Melbourne United 76-73 to win their semi-final series 2-1.

Next up is NBL royalty, the Sydney Kings, in a best-of-five finals series starting in Sydney on Friday night, with game two in Hobart at 2.30pm on Sunday. Despite the Qantas “technical difficulties”, JackJumpers forward Jarred Bairstow said the group was upbeat to be flying home with a series win stowed away in the luggage.

“It definitely would have been a much more painful day just waiting around to get home and wrap this thing up,” he said.

Bairstow said the JackJumpers were acutely aware of the buzz they had created in Tasmania in making the championship decider and credited coach Scott Roth for doing the hard yards early on.

“You can really see exactly what it means to the community,” he said.

“It gives you something to play for, something like (making the finals) doesn’t happen very often, especially for a new franchise. We want to grab it by the horns.

“That culture started with Scott.

“Scott was down here for almost a year prior to the season starting, just out in the community and understanding what this means to the community.

“He’s preached every day that we’re here to defend the island, we’re here to represent the people of Tasmania, and that’s what we try to do every time we step on the court.”