Rucker: 'JackJumpers can win it all'

After two seasons within touching distance of the ultimate NBL glory, can the JackJumpers go one step further than NBL22 and hoist the championship trophy at the end of this season? Derek Rucker thinks yes, but he believes there’s one caveat to be met in any potential post-season run.

Tasmania fell to Sydney in the Championship Series of its debut season in the NBL where, had they have won, the JackJumpers would have been the first Tasmanian NBL champions since Launceston Casino City in 1981.

Then in NBL23 they suffered a three-game defeat to New Zealand in the semi-finals.

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The JackJumpers have already won three of the four games they’ve played against the NBL’s current top two – Melbourne and Sydney – this season, and Rucker believes a playoff matchup with the Kings will give them the best chance of winning a maiden title this season.

“I put them in the hunt to be a championship contender, but they’ll need the ladder to go their way,” Rucker said on NBL Now.

“They execute well in the half-court, they have two – possibly three – game-winners you can rely on to take over a game on any given night, they rebound the ball pretty well, and they have an excellent coach.

“To get there they need to finish so they can be in the semi-finals against the Kings. I don’t even care about home-court, they just have to be matched up with the Kings.

“If they’re matched up with Melbourne United, bye bye.”

Fit again centre Will Magnay will likely prove crucial to any title hopes the JackJumpers harbour, and head coach Scott Roth will be expecting the former New Orleans Pelican to provide some much-needed bite on the defensive end of the floor.

Magnay has made just three appearances so far this season, as he continues to ramp up his return from injury.

He’s already exploded for one incredible performance when he exploded for 20 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in a loss to New Zealand.

“Now he’s back and healthy and he’s got that intangible hunger. He missed out on all that cool stuff that was happening, all those ants were marching and you look back and there was will on his bad leg trying to march with them,” Damon Lowery said.

“Now he’s healthy he brings that rejuvenation. If guys tend to get a bit lackadaisical, he can go ‘hey, don’t you take it for granted’.”

“I think something that would be driving Scott Roth mad would be a lack of defensive intensity and effectiveness. They are well below the JackJumpers standards we’ve grown accustomed to and I think for that reason he would be somewhat concerned about how far this team can go,” Rucker added.

“Remember, he was in Boomers conversations. He has a unique skill in blocking the ball, blocking shots, contesting shots, altering shots that the Boomers lineup could still utilise.

“It’s more of a long shot but if he can get himself back into shape and get his basketball together and stay healthy, he has a world-class, elite skill that could be utilised at FIBA level.”

NBL24 will return this weekend, and the JackJumpers will be back in action against Adelaide on Saturday night.