{"id":451777,"date":"2026-02-01T14:45:16","date_gmt":"2026-02-01T14:45:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/451777\/"},"modified":"2026-02-01T14:45:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T14:45:16","slug":"nothings-ever-been-given-to-us-tassie-vows-to-fight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/451777\/","title":{"rendered":"“Nothing’s ever been given to us”: Tassie vows to fight"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following Friday\u2019s two results, New Zealand defeating Melbourne and Cairns edging Tasmania, the JackJumpers hold just a one-game lead for sixth spot.<\/p>\n

That one-game lead is on the resurgent Breakers, who Scott Roth\u2019s side play in a massive Round 19 fixture at MyState Bank Arena on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Despite a mounting injury toll, which now includes Ben Ayre alongside the likes of Will Magnay, Bryce Hamilton and Sean Macdonald, Roth\u2019s side will go into the crucial clash with a winning mentality.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don’t make any excuses, and this situation is no different,\u201d Roth said during Friday\u2019s post-game press conference.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing’s ever been given to us in our five years of existence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to go earn it and take it if we can and that’s what we’ll try to do again on Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

As well as the four aforementioned players, Tyger Campbell couldn\u2019t finish the game due to cramp and Majok Deng had just returned from concussion protocols.<\/p>\n

Roth said two other players were also \u2018playing through injuries right now\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere’s not much we can do about freshening up for Sunday, it [the short turnaround] is what it is, and we just have to recover and get ready,\u201d Roth said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’ve got players dropping like flies, so Stoddy (Nick Stoddart) and Nunny (Brody Nunn) are going to have to give us some important minutes, and it’s a good chance to evaluate them over these last two weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Similarly, Roth\u2019s counterpart Petteri Koponen and his Breakers find themselves with the same mindset, due to key injuries to Sam Mennenga, Rob Baker and Izayah Le\u2019Afa.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are no excuses on Sunday for us, because Tassie is coming back from Cairns, but it’s one of those games where we will find out how mentally tough we are,\u201d Koponen said in Friday\u2019s post-game press conference.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest message tonight was that we still believe we have enough quality and talent [to make the post-season], and they showed that tonight by playing a really good game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sunday\u2019s fixture tips off at 2.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN and Channel 10.<\/p>\n

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