The Tasmania JackJumpers are preparing for a battle against the Sydney Kings at the Silverdome in Launceston, in a top-of-the-table clash featuring not only some of the league’s best players, but two of its greatest coaching minds in Scott Roth and Brian Goorjian.
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For the JackJumpers, who sit atop the standings with a 6-2 record, the opportunity to make an early statement against the reigning champions would further solidify their credentials as genuine title contenders.
For the Kings, who are coming off an impressive victory over Perth less than 48 hours ago and sit just below Tasmania with a 6-3 record, a win would provide another significant momentum boost for a side that endured some early-season struggles.
Speaking to Fox Sports Australia ahead of tonight’s clash, Kings head coach Brian Goorjian addressed the challenges of playing at the Silverdome, a venue that has produced some relatively low-scoring contests in recent seasons.
Across the past three seasons, games at the venue have averaged a combined 169.5 points, with Tasmania holding a 1-5 record during that stretch.
However, Goorjian believes the venue itself is not the biggest concern. Instead, it is the passionate Tasmanian community and the support behind the JackJumpers that make securing an away victory such a difficult task.
“To me, coming to Tasmania and the support they have is something you deal with,” he said.
“So you know when you come down to Tassie, you better be on your game.”
For Goorjian, the biggest challenge is preparing his players for a JackJumpers side he believes possesses the best work ethic in the competition, with energy and effort crucial to overcoming Roth’s team.
“I think they’re the best team in the league at anything that involves effort,” he said.
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“anything that involves work, anything that involves team ship, they are great at.
“So you have to have an energy about you in your game plan. And I always say that because it’s more important than the game plan.
“The energy that you bring against them is very, very important.”
Tasmania famously claimed its maiden NBL championship during the 2023-24 season, although the roster that delivered that historic title looks considerably different from the group leading the competition in NBL27.
Despite those changes, Goorjian believes the current JackJumpers are on par with their championship-winning side, praising both the talent assembled and Roth’s ability to bring the group together.
“This team is very much on par with their championship team,” he said.
“I just think they’ve had some time together. They’re healthy. He [Scott Roth] does such a good job. They’re so well drilled at what they do and he’s in the elite as far as talent.
“So you put all those pieces together, you know, it’s punching out of your weight, playing hard, a good team that plays together, good culture.
“but add the fact that they’re maybe the most talented or as talented as any team in the competition.”
The Kings certainly have the talent and depth to match Tasmania, but with a demanding travel schedule and another difficult opponent awaiting them, Goorjian knows his side will need contributions across the entire roster.
When asked what Sydney must do to walk away with a victory, the veteran coach delivered a simple message.
“Everyone doing their job,” he said.
“We have strengths of each individual. You put certain groups on the team, they apply a lot of pressure.
“It’s well known now that they’re going to go after Kendric.”
The last time Kendric Davis faced the JackJumpers, he produced a career-high 40 points in a 105-94 victory, and Tasmania will undoubtedly be looking to limit the reigning Finals MVP’s influence tonight.
However, Goorjian believes the contributions of his supporting cast, particularly Andrew Carr and Harry Wessels, could prove just as important against a JackJumpers side featuring star big man Will Magnay.
“Carr is a very good decision maker, can short-roll, find people, can carry the ball, can attack the offensive boards.
“And Wessels, when he’s going against a player like Will Magnay, he provides more of a physical presence. Somebody can lay body on him.
“So it’s always going to the player and saying, ‘here’s how we’re going to use your strengths in this game plan.’
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“The excitement for me is a lot of them are starting to understand what their strengths are and evolving.”
Another challenge facing the Kings is their demanding early-season schedule, with tonight’s clash marking their fourth game in just eight days.
The NBL fixture has long been a talking point for clubs, particularly during stretches involving significant travel, but Goorjian insists Sydney knew what it was getting into and has embraced the challenge.
“We embrace the schedule,” he said.
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“We knew we were going to have a tough schedule. We had a tough schedule last year. The media talked about the start we had.
“We knew we had these kind of road trips. Now we have Tasmania at the end of a four game swing. It’s the fourth game in eight days. So I knew what this was.
“And we’ve put a team together that I’m excited about, you know, coaching this tonight, we’re going in there to win the game, but also whatever happens, we’re going to evolve and grow tonight.”
With both teams enjoying impressive starts to the season, tonight’s clash presents an opportunity for Tasmania to strengthen its position at the top of the standings, while Sydney will be looking to continue its resurgence and make a statement against another genuine championship contender.