Duke has a four-to-six-week injury, and Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth leans to the long end: "It's probably closer to 6 weeks. So I don't know if we'll see him until mid-November."
"It's fixed enough so he can breathe." Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth on Dakota Mathias, who told him: "I'm not missing games." Benny gets one more week out as a precaution, having not played five-on-five with the group. If all goes well, "he should be ready."
Ben Gold's role is growing. Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth spoke of "the luxury of Ben Gold continuing to increase his minutes." With three games in six days coming, Roth said "this will be about us and our approach."
"It's not fixed." Tasmania coach Scott Roth on Dakota Mathias's nose, re-injured in Illawarra and put under anaesthesia days ago to clear a breathing passage. Mathias is playing in a mask without practising. He says it is improving day by day but will take a little while.
A full day off on 19 October, then "a very, very light day" on 20 October: that is Scott Roth's plan for Tasmania JackJumpers before Brisbane. Work resumes 21 October, mostly video and meetings, with an eight- or nine-day break after this stretch.
Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth wants to ease Taran Armstrong's load: "we need to see how we can get his minutes down a bit more and get him some rest at times too." Next up is New Zealand on 18 October, after a quick turnaround.
Dakota Mathias went to hospital for x-rays and Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth gave no status on him: "It's not even his nose. I think it's his cheek." Majok Deng is out with no timeline; Roth said Ben Gold will be used "heavily, especially while Majok Deng is out."
Biwali Bayles and Kody Stattmann were "basically on the street about 10 days ago," Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth said, yet both played "hugely important minutes." Roth said each had picked up "labels" but has fit the club's standards.
Josh Bannan is back after about four weeks out. Tasmania's Scott Roth said he fouled out in his return against United, started shaky in this one, then settled the team by attacking the rim. Short of players for 5-on-5 practice for four weeks, they now have "a complete roster."
Will Magnay is sure Dakota Mathias will be fine for Brisbane. Scott Roth called the nose injury "more of a bloody nose and a little bit of a laceration"; Mathias returned to finish the game. Roth said Tasmania had its first normal full practice in about four weeks.
Josh Bannan's first Tasmania JackJumpers game ended early after foul trouble including technicals. Will Magnay: "he knows he has to be better in those moments... Obviously, the techs never help." Coach Scott Roth said Taran Armstrong "still has a lot of rust on him."
Kody Stattmann and Biwali Bayles get a second chance at the Tasmania JackJumpers. If they meet club standards, coach Scott Roth said, "They have a good chance to stay with us the entire season." Will Magnay, 100 games in: "I'll never play anywhere else in the NBL."