NBL owner Larry Kestelman has say in wake of Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth’s anger in Illawarra loss

Tasmania coach Scott Roth continues to have a bone to pick with the NBL and Larry Kestelman. The league’s owner has had his say on the iconic JackJumpers’ coach’s ongoing issues.

NBL owner Larry Kestelman has weighed in on Scott Roth’s ongoing issues with the league, in the wake of the Tasmania coach’s strategically pointed comments following his side’s loss to Illawarra.

The title-winning JackJumpers’ mentor has long been at odds with the NBL and Kestelman. Roth touched on his frustrations, annoyed by a pair of referee decisions during the loss to the Hawks.

“I can’t say very much, we’re owned by the NBL,” Roth said.

“I have to keep my mouth shut as much as I possibly can but believe me I’d really love to speak my mind, unfortunately I can’t.”

Only a week ago, the 61-year-old was reprimanded by the club after he was caught on camera during a game saying, “It’s Larry Kestelman’s f***ing league”.

Kestelman, who owns the team and pays Roth’s salary, said the JackJumpers were treated the same as every other club.

NBL owner Larry Kestelman. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images for NBL)

“Scott is an amazing coach and he’s done an incredible job with the team,” Kestelman said.

“His perception is that the league, somehow, maybe, is being harsher on him or his team for whatever reason.

“I have no idea why, but I can tell you it’s not fact.

“I think it’s his challenge. I’m not talking to him about it, It’s not my conversation to have.

“I don’t deal with coaches. It’s not my job.

“My team at the NBL deals with it. Christine Finnegan, the CEO of Tasmania, deals with it. Steve (Old) the chairman deals with it. I have had no engagement with Scott Roth.

“I haven’t done anything for him to feel that I’m treating him any better or worse than anyone else. I treat every team the same.”

On Tuesday night, Roth was frustrated by the referees’ decision to swallow the whistle when Hawk Will Hickey cleaned up JackJumper Jordon Crawford on a three-point attempt and then, with under 10 seconds to go, chose not to call a foul when they wrapped up Illawarra big man Sam Froling in a bid to stop the clock.

“At the end of the day, Crawford shoots a three and gets run off the floor — the block’s good but, when you run through somebody, I don’t know, I guess that’s not a foul,” Roth said.

“Then you have to have a feel for what’s going on as a ref to understand that we’re going to foul and they chose not to call it. It just is what it is.

Asked about the issues with officiating at a press stop on Wednesday, JackJumpers’ assistant Mark Radford said the club would address it with the league but he would not “buy into all that narrative”.

Scott Roth. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

“I know there’s some discrepancies with foul counts and stuff but, at the end of the day, we’ve got to be way better defensively and our defensive review will show that again after that game,” Radford said.

“We’re all trying to get better. Referees are trying to get better. We’ve got to keep improving.”

The physical JackJumpers are the No.1 defensive team in the NBL, conceding just 108.7 points per 100 possessions. They commit 19.7 fouls per game, second in the league, and draw 18.9 fouls, fifth. They attempt the second fewest free throws per game at 19.5, while opponents attempt 21.7 — fifth.

Roth, who is contracted until the end of the 2026-27 season, has undeniably been the key figure in building a juggernaut in Tasmania that made the grand final in its first season and won last year’s NBL title.

It’s another short turnaround for the JackJumpers who will face the Adelaide 36ers at home on Friday night.

Originally published as NBL owner Larry Kestelman has say in wake of Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth’s anger in Illawarra loss