Tasmania JackJumpers CEO Christine Finnegan provides details on pre-game championship celebrations

The JackJumpers will return to MyState Bank Arena on Saturday night against Melbourne United with CEO Christine Finnegan providing some detail around the pre-game championship celebrations.

Tasmania JackJumpers CEO Christine Finnegan has promised the club will ensure Saturday’s pre-game championship celebration ceremony will be a ‘respectful celebration’ of the NBL24 championship victory.

The JackJumpers will return home for their first game at MyState Bank Arena since winning an inaugural national championship last season, with the unique fixture meaning they’ll unveil the championship banner in-front of the team they beat to win it, Melbourne United.

Tasmania JackJumpers CEO Christine Finnegan has urged fans to be respectful when celebrating the championship banner pre-game. Picture: Linda Higginson

Final preparations for the pre-game celebrations were being made on Friday with Finnegan providing detail on what fans can expect before the round 2 clash.

“We are going to do it quite low-key, we want to be very respectful to Melbourne United,” Finnegan said.

“There will be a five-minute ceremony after our players run on with just our club on the floor and then obviously Marcus Lee, who played with us in the championship but is at United now, will come on with his new teammates and we’ll have a quick recognition of it then.

“We will do it in a very JackJumpers way. We want fans to remember it and it’s something we’ve put a lot of effort into.”

Finnegan also said there would be a ‘hype reel’ looking back on last season’s success and said fans should attempt to be in their seats by 7.40pm with presentations to start five minutes later.

After going down to United in the opening game of last week’s ‘HoopsFest’, Tasmania will be hoping a week back at home will aid their charge towards the first win of NBL25.

Assistant coach Jack Fleming said the week had provided the group with the chance to reset following a busy few weeks on the road.

“It’s definitely been a bit of a reset and allowed us to get back in the rhythm of being in practice and it really feels like the season is starting for us being back at home,” he said.

“We played as hard as we could (last week) and we weren’t happy with the result so we’ve got plenty of things to improve on this week and hopefully bounce back against the same opposition.”

New import Craig Sword will make his debut for Tasmania JackJumpers after missing round 1 with a concussion. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Fleming said tidying up the foul count was a major area of focus heading in after head coach Scott Roth highlighted it post-game with the debut of Craig Sword and potential first minutes of Gorjok Gak set to help in that area.

Vice-captain Milton Doyle was excited to see what his fellow countryman would bring to the table.

“(He will bring) a lot of energy defensively up the floor,” Doyle said.

Tip off on Saturday is at 8pm.