"No animosity" in JackJumpers, United rivalry

As special as Saturday night's championship celebration pre-game was for the Tasmania JackJumpers and then getting a season-opening win, both Scott Roth and Will Magnay would have preferred it wasn’t done in front of Melbourne United.

Given Tasmania did battle with Melbourne in five games of last season's Championship Series and then opened NBL25 at HoopsFest in Perth also facing United, the JackJumpers wouldn’t have minded seeing a different opponent at MyState Bank Arena on Saturday night.

The JackJumpers unfurled their championship banner before the game and went on to score the 81-72 victory in a typically fierce contest between the two rivals who have battled in two of the last finals series.

What Roth felt unsure about was being seen to celebrate in front of the team they had such heated battles against, due to the great respect between both groups.

He didn’t want Melbourne to feel they were showing them any disrespect and even though Roth did feel it was done in the best possible way for the JackJumpers to celebrate the achievement with their fans, he would have preferred to be playing anyone else instead.

"The whole thing for me is that I've never experienced that anywhere I've been that you drop your banner against the team that you've played twice now to start the season," Roth said.

"There's eight other teams we could have played on this night and we were trying to do it respectfully for them in a way that was tasteful.

"That was forefront of my mind back when I was in Florida and they announced the schedule, I didn’t want to disrespect them they are just too good of a club with great people over there.

"It was a little awkward for me, I don't know if that's usually the case over here and if it happens a lot, but where I'm from you would never open up your banner dropping against the team you just played."

Tasmania now won't play Melbourne again until two days before Christmas and Roth is looking forward to renewing hostilities with other opponents starting on Friday in Cairns against the Taipans.

"I am going to really enjoy seeing someone else on the other side," Roth said.

"To play them seven straight times and move off to not see them for a while for both of us I think will be a big relief. We can both move on, both teams, and do what need to do to get ready for next week."

Will Magnay was huge in that championship triumph last season which helped him earn a spot on the Boomers team at Paris 2024 and then he had a massive say in Saturday night's win.

He also found himself getting emotional in the pre-game banner ceremony and it meant the world to him to share it with the Tasmanian community.

"It was amazing and not being able to win it at home, and then being able to celebrate it in a respectful way is what we wanted to do," Magnay said.

"There was never any animosity towards Melbourne, we just wanted to have a moment with the fans and the state that we could share with them.

"It was awesome just seeing a few of those highlights and I had some shivers every now and then, and it was special when that banner dropped. I think it was more for the fans and them being able to be part of it with us. It was pretty cool."

Magnay finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds, five blocks and three steals, and even enjoyed getting one over championship teammate Marcus Lee who himself had his moments against Magnay last Thursday night, but he'll be happy to not see Melbourne again for a while.

"It was spoken about all week that obviously it was going to be happening, but to not let that carry over into the game," Magnay said.

"Yes, we wanted to stand there and enjoy it, but not carry on like tools and rub it in their faces. We tried to just have a moment with the fans and then we just regrouped, got out there and tried to play our best basketball.

"I'm going to be happy to not play Melbourne for a while. I think it's my last seven NBL games now have been against Melbourne so I'm a bit sick of them, but it's fun (playing against Lee).

"He was a massive factor for us last year and he's a great person and human being, but it's fun competing and I got to block him and I rubbed it in his face that time. We'll laugh about that later."