With an injury list that could just about fill a team, the Tasmania JackJumpers come into Thursday night\u2019s Play-In Qualifier in a world of pain.<\/p>\n
Magnay, Hamilton, Macdonald and Ayre headline a casualty ward that runs six deep, and on availability alone it\u2019s hard to see how the JackJumpers can overcome a full-strength Melbourne United side bolstered by the return of Shea Ili.<\/p>\n
But if there\u2019s one team capable of defying the odds, it\u2019s Tasmania.<\/p>\n
The JackJumpers have made a habit of doing just that throughout their short history, something Melbourne United know all too well, and all eyes will be on what Scott Roth has in his bag of tricks on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I spoke to Scott at awards night, he said \u2018just wait, we\u2019ve got some stuff up our sleeve\u2019, and I\u2019m wondering what that could be,\u201d Peter Hooley said on NBL Overtime.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can throw that (the injury concerns) out the window when it comes to games like this,\u201d Felix Von Hofe continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not pretty looking \u2026 but Tasmania can just get it done when their backs are against the wall.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only reason I\u2019m giving the JackJumpers a fighter\u2019s chance \u2026 they\u2019re the JackJumpers,\u201d Damon Lowery added.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
While the Overtime panel all ultimately tipped Melbourne to win, Hooley says the JackJumpers cannot be underestimated.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is going to be hard with just available bodies, but when you\u2019ve got nothing to lose you play the starting unit \u2026 the starting unit is Tyger Campbell, Nick Marshall, Josh Bannan, Majok Deng and David Johnson. There\u2019s a lot of talent there still,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey’re just going to make the game as ugly as possible and grit and grind away and try and get into Melbourne’s heads and then, who knows what could happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey (United) have way more talent available right now, so I expect Tasmania to really slow it down, at a crawling speed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lowery said Melbourne go into the game as deserved favourites, but the result was far from a fait accompli.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re the JackJumpers, but you still need some horses,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Melbourne United are so wobbly, we don\u2019t know what\u2019s going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
United have won just two of their last five games and haven\u2019t quite hit their straps since entering the mid-season break at 13-2, but their recent victory over the Phoenix will give them confidence heading into the John Cain Arena clash.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it was the same Melbourne United, even a fraction of what they used to be like, I would say this could be a blowout,\u201d Lowery added.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Scott Roth will have some tricks up his sleeve,\u201d Hooley said.<\/p>\n
Melbourne hosts Tasmania on Thursday night at 7.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.<\/p>\n
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