Entering this weekend with only a loss to their name, Tasmania JackJumpers fans would have felt slightly nervous ahead of their round-two NBL contests.
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Friday's home match against two-time reigning champions Sydney Kings - a team the JackJumpers had only beaten twice in nine attempts - was followed by an away trip to one of this season's league favourites, Melbourne United.
The prospect of being 0-3 to start the season would have felt equally unsettling and possible.
But, following a dramatic comeback led by the ever-reliable Milton Doyle, Tasmania sit 2-1 with the equal-best record (along with five other teams) and so far look to be once again squashing the pundits/doubters who had them somewhere near the foot of the ladder.
Coach Scott Roth's repetitive use of "defend the island" feels no more a catchphrase as it does the franchise's identity.
A crucial part of Roth's success with his teams has been their rugged defence that runs off a platform of one-percenters and team cohesion.
They kept both sides to less than 80 points - no mean feat against the Kings who averaged 95.7 points per game last season - despite the league average for points right around the 88 mark.
Both Sydney and Melbourne's coaches were quick to credit the defensive toughness that Tasmania brought to their matches, while Roth spoke about it in more detail.
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"Our ability to defend the island, be relentless, and just not flinch no matter what ... we're just continuing to try to do our work and get better as we go," he said.
"To get a road win is very difficult in this league and we just had a really good, strong weekend for us, obviously to win at home in our first game and then come on the road like this in that building and that quality of the team, we're humbled by it.
"Our motto is our defense travels and if we want to bring it with us then we give us our best chance to win on the road.
"We're lucky to get out of there, but we made enough plays down the stretch and our defence was sound enough to allow us to have a chance.
Those "plays down the stretch" largely consisted of one player: Doyle.
Averaging a hefty 21.3 ppg (third-highest in the league), the number becomes more impressive looked at another way. Doyle is responsible for almost exactly (25.1) a quarter of all points scored by Tasmania so far.
His influence has been more than required as other offensive weapons continue to search for rhythm.
Only two other players average double-digits with one of them fellow American Jordon Crawford, who averages 15.33 ppg through sheer weight of attempts - he is shooting at a poorly 32.7 percent clip.
But his hallmark in the two wins was more than just his scoring. It has been the way he can take over contests.
At the Derwent Entertainment Centre, he scored 10 second-quarter points - including eight consecutively - with that period being the only one where there was more than a one-point difference between the sides.
But he was more impressive in the final quarter at John Cain Arena on Sunday.
With eight minutes remaining, the JackJumpers trailed 68-55 away from home, against an undefeated team littered with stars like Matthew Dellavedova, Ian Clark and Launceston-born Chris Goulding, but their club MVP would not be deterred.
He went on to hit four three-pointers, including the effective game-winner, in the no-fuss manner that fans have become accustomed to.
"Shooters keep shooting and some fell in at the end," Doyle reflected, rather succinctly.
While the JackJumpers are only three games into their third season, those wins are fast becoming the type of performances synonymous with the club's identity, something Roth is well aware of.
"The history of this league tells you that the top teams that play defence and finish in the top four have the best chance to go to the grand finals, and that history is repeatable," he said.
"[Good defence] gives us the best chance in Tasmania, it's what the people expect from us, how we play and defending that island and I think that people really rally around that toughness and grit that we hopefully try to show as much as we possibly can."
Tasmania's next match sees them host last year's worst-performing team, Illawarra Hawks, on Thursday night at the Derwent Entertainment Centre.
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