The JackJumpers missed the NBL finals for the first time but walked away proud from a challenging season

Coach Scott Roth to “smoke a lot of cigars” to farewell the JackJumpers’ failed NBL title defence and then decide who he wants back for another shot at the crown. What he said:

HOBART, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 08: Jordon Crawford of the Jackjumpers speaks with Kelsey Browne after the round 20 NBL match between Tasmania Jackjumpers and Cairns Taipans at MyState Bank Arena, on February 08, 2025, in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Simon Sturzaker/Getty Images)

The future of JackJumpers stars like fan favourite Jordon Crawford and game-breaker Milton Doyle could be decided as early as this week with coach Scott Roth ready to “smoke a bunch of cigars” and lay the foundation for next season.

After the dust settled on the JackJumpers’ last game of the season in Hobart on Saturday night, ending their reign as NBL champions finishing out of the play-offs but best-of-the-rest in seventh position, Roth was ready to tick boxes before he heads back to the USA in April.

The Jackies punctuated an injury-plagued season with a seven-point win over the Cairns Taipans, Crawford lighting the fuse that fired the home team to a 90-83 win.

HOBART, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 08: Jordon Crawford of the Jackjumpers shoots during the round 20 NBL match between Tasmania Jackjumpers and Cairns Taipans at MyState Bank Arena, on February 08, 2025, in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Simon Sturzaker/Getty Images)

With Doyle ready to head off to play in South America, and pocket-rocket Crawford in tears after the game not knowing what his future might hold, Roth has some decisions to make.

HOBART, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 08: Milton Doyle of the Jackjumpers reacts after the win in the round 20 NBL match between Tasmania Jackjumpers and Cairns Taipans at MyState Bank Arena, on February 08, 2025, in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Simon Sturzaker/Getty Images)

“Tasmania is home,” Crawford said.

“They’ve been great to me since I’ve been here, embraced me and my family.

“So if this is my last time, it has been great.

“I want this to be home, but you never know.”

Roth’s work is never done, despite his plans to relax.

He was going to: “Smoke a bunch of cigars…in the row,” he said.

“I just keep working until I go home at the end of April.

“We’ll have exit meetings next week, we’ll gradually start working on free agency _ we’ve been working on free agency since December.

HOBART, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 08: Scott Roth, Head Coach of the Jackjumpers embraces Scott Harris after the round 20 win in the NBL match between Tasmania Jackjumpers and Cairns Taipans at MyState Bank Arena, on February 08, 2025, in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Simon Sturzaker/Getty Images)

“We’ll try to work on those areas where we can.”

Despite missing the finals for the first time, Roth and his crew walked away proud from a testing season in which they missed post-season action by percentage.

“We’ve been knocked around but stayed true to our values,” Roth said.

“The guys kept showing up and doing the work and that’s all I could ask of them.

“The funny thing is though, on the 29th game we were still actually statistically a chance to be in [play-offs].

“That was going to be the long shot of all long shots [they needed to beat Cairns by 65 points].

“But the fact that we weren’t out three months ago, two months ago, and we just kept fighting, it’s just a great credit to the players, and I have the best staff in the NBL, and the work effort that they do is second to none.”

After the JackJumpers MVP Banquet in two weeks, Roth will do what he does best _ sell the JackJumpers to the masses.

“The rest is never over for me until I get back to the United States,” he said.

“So it’s back driving through the state, spending four or five hours in the car and going to places that probably no one has ever been or really cared about in building this brand and spreading the word about the possibilities of being a JackJumper or just the impact of playing basketball and having sports in front of you.”