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TASMANIA's success in claiming the NBL Championship within three years of the expansion club's existence is in itself one of Australian sport's outstanding achievements, but then, Ian Davies and his Launceston Casino City won the title in 1981, three years after the actual league was born! 

Not bad going, I would've thought but it's kind of a Tasmanian thing, setting amazing records, the JackJumpers' unprecedented success a big factor in hastening a complacent AFL into launching its "Tassie Devils" before every kid - boy or girl - is "lost" to basketball.

Resilience was the key, although accountability also is a key trademark of this team since the JackJumpers' under-praised administration and management first had the wisdom to appoint Scott Roth as its inaugural head coach.

Roth, 60 and a 203cm forward who logged 160 NBA games at Utah Jazz, San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves across 1988-1990, had extensive additional playing experience in Turkey, Spain and Greece.

Branching into coaching, he was an assistant at prominent NBA programs at Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons and as a scout and advisor for Milwaukee Bucks, his apprenticeship was thorough.

An assistant coach of Turkish and Chinese national teams, Roth was part of Trevor Gleeson's Perth Wildcats coaching staff which won the 2020 NBL championship.

His appointment to lead the new expansion club was an inspired one, his ability to not only embrace but understand the nature of the state of Tasmania, on top of his ability to bring the best out of every player he has coached, is the stuff of future legend.

Signing Clint Steindl, Jack McVeigh. Will Magnay, Sean MacDonald, Fabijan Krslovic and Jarred Bairstow to form the basis of the team's core was under-estimated by everyone on the Australian mainland.

These are settled players, many seeking a second chance after disappointing input at former programs.

Sam McDaniel, Matt Kenyon and Josh Magette also fit that bill and played in the JJ's opening two seasons - a Grand Final in Year One, a semi final appearance in Year Two.

While they ultimately sought greener pastures after two years, as did Isaac White after one, import Milton Doyle was a massive "get" and his decision to return for 2023-24 was even bigger.

Incoming Aussies Anthony Drmic and Majok Deng had either run their race or were unwanted at their previous destinations, Adelaide 36ers and Cairns Taipans respectively.

Drmic quickly became a starter and played with a mature poise for which he was not previously known and Deng, recovering from an ankle injury which cruelled part of his season, was a versatile asset who turned Grand Final Game 3 of the five-match NBL Championship Series on its ear with his performance.

Supporting Doyle with the "Rocky and Bullwinkle" import partnership of 168cm Jordon Crawford and 211cm Marcus Lee gave Roth a terrific talent base to work with and they repaid his faith in no uncertain manner.

Every player had his ups and his downs but Roth continued to believe and every player came through when the chips were down.

And speaking of chips, it never should be overlooked that Launceston Casino City cashed in a winning hand in 1981 for Tasmania when it won the one-and-done Grand Final at Adelaide's fabled Apollo Stadium, thrashing Nunawading Spectres 75-54 for the championship.

Tasmania took three seasons to win it all, Launceston won it in the NBL's third season, so there's symmetry there.

But that is where it ends. Driven by the late, great fabulous Tasmanian-born superstar Ian Davies, Launceston entered the NBL in 1980 and came eighth of 12 competing teams.

It won it all in 1981, then fell to 13th of 14 teams in 1982, was defunct by 1983 and replaced by Devonport Warriors and Hobart Tassie Devils. (There ya go, knew I'd seen that original AFL name somewhere before.)

But while Launceston were here, at the top of the mountain, then gone without trace, that will not be true of Tasmania JackJumpers.

This team has an entire state behind it.

WELCOME HOME: The JackJumpers are NBL Champions in 2024, and their fans surely know it.

This time around to win the championship, the Jackies had to go through two of the major powerhouse programs of NBL basketball - Perth Wildcats and Melbourne United - and had to beat them on their home floors and had to come from a win behind to achieve the ultimate.

Since the NBL went from best-of-three Grand Finals to best-of-five in 2004, there have been 11 such Championships. Now if you do your maths from 2004 to 2024, you'll figure there should have been closer to 20.

But after South Dragons beat Melbourne Tigers 3-2 in 2009, the NBL reverted back to best-of-three for seven years. The COVID-impacted 2020 season also was reduced to best-of-three.

Of the 11 best-of-five championships, Sydney beating West Sydney in 2004 generally is regarded as the greatest such series.

Melbourne beating Sydney in 2008 is up there, as is South Dragons beating Melbourne, and United beating Adelaide, all those series going the full five games.

But Tasmania's success over Melbourne has to rate as the greatest five-game championship of all-time. Other than United's Game 1 blow-out by 23 points, Game 2 was won by five and the other three by two points apiece, every game an instant classic.

No series has been closer, the last three games all finally determined by an inbounds pass turnover, and Game 3 won on McVeigh's Greatest Shot in NBL history. 

Matthew Dellavedova's Game 3 turnover was the worst, an absolute shocker that set up McVeigh for the winner. Sean MacDonald's inbounds pass for Majok Deng in Game 4 was pinpoint perfect but did not allow for the incredible reach and athleticism of Jo Lual-Acuil who stole it.

And MacDonald's turnover to close the series was a credit to United's defensive pressure on the receivers, although the missed foul on Chris Goulding as he intercepted the lob on its way to Milton Doyle would have broken hearts and riled conspiracy theorists if Dellavedova's heave had hit.

But there could only be one Greatest Shot of All-time in this series, and that was owned by Jack McVeigh, the Larry Sengstock Medallist and this team's answer to the mercurial Ian Davies.

These JackJumpers not only won the hearts of everyone in their state but became the favourite "second team" of any fan not barracking for Melbourne United.

Dean Vickerman's team did not lose consecutive games at any time across a regular season they largely dominated as the best club in the competition.

But playoffs can be and often are a different story, even though United had unique insight into Roth's working philosophies via their assistant coach and former JackJumpers assistant Jacob Chance.

Roth drew the most from his players and staff, Mark Radford learning of a winning culture from Rob Beveridge at Perth Wildcats and the opposite during his three-year stint at Adelaide 36ers.

Jarrad Weeks was a smart choice to stay on after his playing days as an assistant, embodying the work ethic the JackJumpers are all about, and clearly Jack Fleming brought a lot to the table. (Though I think I might revise his end-game inbounds play.)

All in all, this group has given so much to make this club the beacon that it is and yes, we can all see that shining light from the mainland now too. We are believers. You are champions.