JackJumpers face character test in the Jungle when the face off against the Perth Wildcats
The Tasmania JackJumpers face the most daunting trip in the league when they take on the Perth Wildcats in what the captain says will be “a true test of our character”. LATEST >>
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THE JackJumpers are only three games into their NBL life but are already set for a test of their character and culture when they tackle the Wildcats in the Jungle on Sunday, captain Clint Steindl says.
Playing the Wildcats in Perth is the most daunting trip in the league, especially for a new team that has lost its past two games and is in a shooting slump.
Steindl knows better than anyone the reception in store for the JackJumpers, having spent four years in the famous red singlet helping the Wildcats to three grand finals for two titles.
“We’ve had three games now, and this will be our fourth on the road in an environment, as a team, we haven’t experienced anything like it,” he said.
“It is going to be a true test of our culture we’ve started, and our character, because when it gets tough in this building, your true colours come out.”
Steindl, who also played for Cairns and Townsville before joining Perth, said he was not expecting a more hostile reception than his teammates.
“If you are wearing red, they go for you. If you are not, they are against you – it is pretty much that simple,” the 200cm forward said.
“There is a lot of history behind the Wildcats and their fan base. They are passionate and very knowledgeable.
“It is definitely an exciting feeling playing in this gym with the atmosphere and the club you are going up against.
“It is going to be a true test of how we react as a young team when things are going great, and when things are going not so great.”
The JackJumpers are averaging 75 points per game, the second lowest in the league, and the lowest field goal and three-point per cent across the NBL, despite averaging the third-most attempts from beyond the arc.
Tasmania forced 21 turnovers and had 20 more possessions against Cairns last start, but still lost by seven.
“Part of converting is putting pressure on the paint and pressure on the rim, and we just didn’t do that. We stayed beyond the three-point line and looked to score that way,” Steindl said.
“As we move forward, we are going to understand the possession where we really need to get some rim pressure, rather than settling for long twos or three-pointers.
“That is going to be something we develop as a group and, as we understand each other a bit more, we will know which guys can put pressure on the rim, and play at the rim, and then different defences are going to react.
“We’ve got to be a bit more relentless in heading to the paint, making people guard us, and that should open up some more great shots, rather than just good shots, for us.”
Sunday’s game starts at 5.30pm and can be watched on Kayo or Foxtel.
Offensive worries for JackJumpers in second defeat
A LOW-scoring match from both the Taipans and JackJumpers ended with Cairns finishing on top, winning 69-62 at the Cairns Convention Centre.
Neither side was perfect offensively, but the Taipans did enough in the second half to stifle Tasmania and give fans a show for the first game at the Snake Pit in 650 days.
The turnover generation for Cairns showed much-needed improvement, however the side still had trouble had finishing off at the rim.
The side did show bursts of aggressive attacks throughout the game, led by clutch import Tahjere McCall.
McCall continued to impress in his first NBL stint – the early defensive player of the year candidate netted 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
But defensively, Cairns had a hard time generating pressure on Tasmania, particularly smalls Josh Magette (19 points, nine rebounds) and Josh Adams (nine points).
After a six-point second quarter, the Taipans turned up the heat and the steals, managing to pressure Tasmania in transition and pinch a few points.
Kouat Noi started to look like the player Cairns fans hoped he would be, scoring 17 points from a number of angles – something he struggled with in the Blitz.
Taipans Jordan Ngatai, Brayden Inger and Mirko Djeric did not play due to injuries, with star player Scott Machado also being sidelined with an apparent injury after six minutes.
The Taipans had a hard time with the three ball against the JackJumpers, much like their game against Perth in round one.
Cairns ended the game shooting a subpar 5-21 from a distance, plaguing their offensive as a whole and making it too one-dimensional at times.
Despite quality games from Magette, Adams and Clint Steindl (13 points), the JackJumpers had a hard time scoring.
Outside of those three players, the JackJumpers scored only 21 points. Overall, the team had a tough night in the paint, shooting a less than ideal 24-76 from the field.
The Taipans will play the 36ers next Saturday, while the JackJumpers will head to Perth to face the Wildcats.
‘Full circle’ for Steindl in JackJumpers road trip
HE started his NBL career at the Taipans, but JackJumpers captain Clint Steindl says returning to Cairns holds no fear as Tasmania’s new basketball team heads off for its first road trip.
Steindl, whose injured hand is almost fully recovered, starred for the JackJumpers in the round two loss to Adelaide 36ers in Hobart on Thursday night, top-scoring for the game with 22 points in the 80-83 defeat.
The 32-year-old, originally from Mackay in Far North Queensland, is proud to return to where he started his career at Cairns Taipans, Mackay Meteors and Townsville Crocodiles.
“Starting out as a youngster and being on a team now where I’m the oldest guy, it has definitely come full circle,” Steindl said.
“Looking back at my time in Cairns, I was learning from guys like Alex Loughton, Aaron Grabau and Aaron Wilson, watching those guys and how they operate. I’ve picked up a few lessons along the way, especially from my time in Perth.
“It’s my time to lead a team and put everything in place I’ve been able to learn over the years, and Cairns just happens to be where it all started.”
A win over Brisbane to start their inaugural season and a loss to the 36ers put the JackJumpers on a steep learning curve.
“It’s a quick turn-around so we are not going to dwell on it [loss to Adelaide] too much,” Steindl said.
“It was the second game of the season, we’ll look at the tape, understand where we went wrong and switch on to play Cairns.”
Scoring is one thing, but the JackJumpers must get tougher in defence.
“A lot of our troubles are at the other end of the floor, especially in defensive transition,” Steindl said.
“We are giving away too many easy buckets. We made some adjustments against Adelaide and were able to slow it down in the second half and give ourselves a chance.
“They did the damage early on and then we were playing catch-up. We fought our way back but you can’t be playing catch-up the whole way.”
Adams key to delivering JackJumpers sting
IT’S only a matter of time before JackJumpers’ American import Josh Adams finds his range and when that happens the green machine will be more dangerous, says his point-guard partner in crime Josh Magette.
The morning after their last-second three-point loss to the Adelaide 36ers in Hobart, the JackJumpers flew to Cairns to prepare for their round three clash with the Taipans on Saturday night.
Magette said the team would be all the wiser heading into their clash with Cairns.
“It’s a learning experience. The guys are disappointed to lose but if we can be better because of it, it won’t sting as much. It’s something we can grow from and be better going forward,” Magette said.
“We talked about bringing our defence every game and we held them to 83 and considering how much firepower they have, it was a good goal to accomplish.”
After beating the Brisbane Bullets in an overtime heart-stopper in their NBL debut, the JackJumpers were dealt a reality check against Adelaide.
“It might have been a hangover from that first game – we put so much into that first night,” Magette said.
“It’s no excuse. We talked about being ready to go from the tip, so it’s something we can learn from.
“Our margin of error isn’t as big as some of the other teams so we’ve got to be ready to play all 40 minutes.”
Adams shot only two points in the first half but improved his productivity in the second to almost get the JackJumpers home in front of another packed house.
He scored 15 points for the game, shot at 27 per cent from the floor and hit three of his seven three-point attempts.
Magette, who shot 30 per cent from the floor and hit only one of his seven three-point shots, said the team had the “utmost confidence in ‘JA’”.
“We know how capable he is and what great a scorer he is – it’s just a matter of time before he gets going and he’s clicking in all four quarters,” Magette said.
“When that happens we will be a more dangerous team but when the shots aren’t falling for whoever, it’s on the other four guys out there to pick it up.”
The Taipans were mauled by the Perth Wildcats and Magette said the JackJumpers needed to increase their shooting accuracy against Cairns to win the club’s first game on the road.
“There are nights when the ball doesn’t go in and that’s what happened against Adelaide,” he said.
“It would be great if we could make more shots. It makes the game a little bit easier.
“But that’s basketball – sometimes it feels really good and the shot doesn’t go in and sometimes you think you’ve air-balled it and the shot goes in.
“We’ll get back to work when we get to Cairns and work on what we can do better.”
Rookie mistakes prove costly for JackJumpers
IT was third time lucky for the Adelaide 36ers on Thursday night as they finally opened their NBL account in a thriller and rained on the parade of the JackJumpers aiming start their maiden season with back to back wins.
A captain’s game by Clint Steindl was not enough to spur the home side to glory at MyState Bank Arena, known as the Nest, but the JackJumpers walked away with a three-point loss in their second NBL outing, 36ers taking it 83-80.
After a thrilling overtime win against the Brisbane Bullets on debut last Friday, the JackJumpers were energetic early against Adelaide.
But they were made to pay for missed shots, rookie mistakes and easy turnovers in offence, and racked up fouls at the other end while watching the 36ers answer every challenge.
Steindl played only nine minutes against the Bullets but he ruled the floor in round two, shooting a game-high 22 points and giving the team the inspiration he was anointed to produce.
It was not the 26th birthday present JackJumpers point guard Sam McDaniel was hoping for, putting a dampener on those celebrations.
The boys in green were their own worst enemy at times in offence, shooting 42 per cent from the floor and a dismal 28 per cent from deep.
The JackJumpers leapt out of the blocks with a Josh Magette bucket in the opening minute followed by fellow guard Jack McVeigh, and then the 36ers fund their range.
JJ’s captain Clint Steindl came into the game midway through the first and drained a three-pointer and a two in quick succession to energise the crowd.
The 36ers steadied and jumped away to a seven-point lead. A late surge led by Steindl brought the JackJumpers – shooting 52 per cent from the floor to the 36ers’ 64 per cent – back within three at the first change.
Adelaide asserted its authority in the second, jumping to a 38-24 lead.
Dusty Hannahs, Cam Bairstow and Mojave King were damaging inside the arc for Adelaide while JackJumpers hero Josh Adams shot only two points as the 36ers led 42-34 at the half.
The third quarter belonged to the 36ers as they withstood any challenge. The closest the home team got was five points with three minutes to play.
Bairstow, Adelaide’s leading scorer with 15 in its loss to the Hawks on Sunday, was strong in the front half and chipped away at the JackJumpers’ confidence in defence. Bairstow (9) and Hannahs (10) were the 36ers’ leaders at the basket to the third change when the visitors led 66-56.
The crowd tried to lift the JackJumpers in the final term but after they tied the scores, Adelaide found the basket that broke the deadlock with just seconds to play.
The JackJumpers’ next game is against the Taipans in Cairns on Saturday night.
JackJumpers ready to sting again
THE Tasmania JackJumpers will be looking to make it two from two on Thursday night as they welcome the Adelaide 36ers to the Anthill at MyState Bank Arena.
Tasmania had a dream return to the NBL on Friday night with a thrilling overtime win over the Brisbane Bullets and now the NBL newcomers will look to ride their wave of momentum against the 36ers.
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Adelaide may have lost its first two games of the season, but JackJumpers coach Scott Roth said he would not be underestimating the visitors.
“They’re obviously going to be very passionate about trying to get their first win and they have a lot of talent and a lot of guys that can score the basketball,” he said.
“They’re another very big team that’s coming in here so we’ll have our hands full rebounding the ball against them and playing against them as they’re very talented.”
Roth said after soaking up the debut victory on Friday he was quick to remind his players to prepare for a season full of ups and downs.
“Obviously these guys deserved to celebrate a little bit over the weekend and it was a great weekend for the state of Tasmania and it was great for the players to celebrate but then it’s onto the next game,” Roth said.
“It was just one game of many games to come and there’s going to be a lot of rollercoaster rides in the season.”
While the JackJumpers defied many pre-season predictions to win their first game, Roth said he was keeping his squad grounded by reminding them of the early success of fellow expansion team South East Melbourne, who after a blistering start to their debut season in 2019 ended in second-last place.
“I told the guys the other day there’s no easy games in this league,” he said.
“I keep reminding them of how South East started 4-1 and then lost 17 of their next 19 games, which is really the reality of how an expansion team can build very quickly from having a little bit of excitement and then getting smacked in the mouth and coming back to reality … so I’m constantly reminding them of that.”
JackJumpers guard Sam McDaniel shared a similar view to his coach and said after taking some time to enjoy their inaugural victory their focus was now solely on the 36ers.
“We obviously enjoyed the win on the night and reflected on it but then it was back to work the next few days,” McDaniel said.
“We aren’t satisfied with one win so now we look forward to Adelaide.
“They are a really talented team and I don’t think they’ve shown their full strengths in their first two games. Obviously they are 0-2, but I think they’re more than capable of winning a bunch of games in this league and we’ll have to bring our A-game to compete with them.
“We are happy with the way we started but it’s just about playing our way for four quarters.”
The JackJumpers and 36ers will top off at 7.30pm on Thursday at MyState Bank Area.
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