Goulding praises Tassie benchmark

The Tasmania JackJumpers have been to the NBL’s last dance twice in their first three years as a club, and have reached the pinnacle of domestic men’s basketball in Australia in just their third season of existence.

They established themselves as NBL24 champions with a seesawing two-point win over Melbourne in the fifth and final game of one of the most competitive, immense Championship Series’ in the history of the competition, and overcame United on their home floor at John Cain Arena.

Although his United side may have fallen at the final hurdle, club captain Chris Goulding praised the JackJumpers in the immediate aftermath of the game.

“I think it would be remiss of me to not start by congratulating Tasmania,” he said in his post-game address of the crowd.

“As mentioned, every sport is striving to do what the NBL and JackJumpers have done in establishing a successful organisation from day dot, so congrats Scott, Jack and the team down there.”

Goulding also paid tribute to the families of his United team, and gave a special mention to retiring Australian basketball legend Brad Newley.

“My family and the families of the players, you allow us to live out our dream, so thank you for sacrificing for us, and I want to give a special shoutout to the Newley family,” he said.

“That’s my good mate, and his whole family are good friends of ours and legends of Australian basketball.”

Goulding also issued a warning to the rest of the competition for NBL25.

“We’ll be back, we have one goal in mind and we thank you for letting us pursue that.”