http://www.nbl.com.au/ Latest news from the Cairns Taipans en http://www.nbl.com.au/typo3conf/ext/tt_news/ext_icon.gif http://www.nbl.com.au/ 18 16 Latest news from the Cairns Taipans TYPO3 - get.content.right http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:23:00 +1100 http://www.nbl.com.au/taipans1/news/article///r18-report-taipans-win-thrilling-reptile-rumble-1/ Jamar Wilson produced a stunning final quarter to carry Cairns past Townsville. BOXSCORE

The Taipans escaped with an 85-81 home Reptile Rumble win over the Townsville Crocodiles after trailing by as many as eight points in the final term.

The Crocs went hunting in the final term but the Snakes held firm in defence, renowned closer Jamar Wilson (18 points) then guiding Cairns home.

Chris Cedar dropped back-to-back threes to give the Crocs a 70-62 lead with six minutes remaining, but after an Aaron Fearne timeout Alex Loughton (15 points) and Drew Warren (25 points) did the same to bring it level.

Wilson, who has scrambled so well at the death this season for the Snakes, sealed it from there.

Both teams shot at around 50 per cent from the field and must have wondered why scoring seemed so difficult last weekend.

A whirlwind opening from Warren (5-of-10 from long range) gave the Snakes a 12-point lead in the second quarter.

But benchman Todd Blanchfield gave the visitors a huge boost with his three-pointer from the flank on the stroke of half-time.

The Taipans looked like jumping away in the third when Brad Hill latched on to a Jamar Wilson pass for an alley-oop, but they squandered plays at crucial moments to kill their momentum.

That allowed the Crocs to fight their way back into the game with a nine-point run to suddenly grab a 57-55 lead late in the third quarter.

Ian Crosswhite made the bucket and drew the foul to get it straight back for the Snakes and they held on for a 60-59 advantage to start the final quarter.

Cairns Taipans 85 (Warren 24, Wilson 18, Loughton 16)
Townsville Crocodiles 81 (Gill 17, Schenscher 16, Blanchfield 13)

Crowd: 4835 at the Cairns Convention Centre]]> Match Reports Taipans Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:27:00 +1100 http://www.nbl.com.au/taipans1/news/article///jamar-wilson-to-make-amends-for-cairns-taipans-record-loss/ GROWING up, New Yorker Jamar Wilson was more accustomed to individual players scoring 49 points... GROWING up, New Yorker Jamar Wilson was more accustomed to individual players scoring 49 points rather than entire teams. But the latter was a reality he had to deal with last Sunday, in a performance he said was unrivalled in his basketball career. The point guard blames himself for the 76-49 loss to Gold Coast, in what was the lowest total ever registered by the club since their NBL inception in 1999. "I didn’t do a good job,’’ Wilson said. ‘‘I’ve never been a part of a game like that before and I don’t think I’ve played that badly in my life." It was the first time Wilson had scored less than 10 points this season, but he was not the only culprit in a team performance that oozed of lethargy. Wilson agreed that they fell in a heap after the Blaze had physically imposed themselves on the Snakes. "We didn’t know what to run or how to get in our rhythm. There was no flow and it got to a point where we were trying to make something out of nothing and that just made it worse." The fallout has been typically calculated from coach Aaron Fearne, who has simply lifted the bar rather than unleash verbally after the inept display. "Our first reaction was to put our head in the dirt. We expected Fearney to rip us a new one, but he’s just made us work harder and tougher and stop being pansies,’’ Wilson said. And Wilson said it means they are ready to erase Sunday’s memories and replace them with triumphant ones against Townsville tonight. "Even if we won by 30 last week we’d still come out with that fire and intensity, just because it’s Townsville,’’ the guard said. "When it comes to Townsville, we all take it personally to make sure we win.’’ The age-old rivalry will stir both sides into action but there is much more at stake than simply bragging rights. The Taipans and Crocs are battling with the Gold Coast for two finals spots. The series is split 1-1, with tonight’s game followed by a return leg in Townsville on February 17. Wilson will also rekindle his running battle with former NBA player and Crocs guard Eddie Gill. ]]> Taipans Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:15:00 +1100 http://www.nbl.com.au/taipans1/news/article///r18-preview-cairns-taipans-v-townsville-crocodiles-1/ With both teams coming off hidings, the stakes are particularly high for this "Reptile Rumble". Tip-off: Friday, February 3, 7.30pm (local), Cairns Convention Centre

Radio: NBL Radio

Last time they met: Townsville 95 (Gill 21, Crawford 15, Holmes 14) d Cairns 67 (Warren 16, Wilson 11, Hill 10), Round 2, 2011/12, Townsville Entertainment Centre

Baked Snakes
Cairns were completely out-hustled by Gold Coast last week, something rarely seen in Aaron Fearne’s time as Taipans coach.

The Blaze beat up on the Taipans’ ball-handlers and turned a usually composed team into a rudderless ship.

Just as importantly, guard Adam Gibson led a relentless attack on Cairns’ respected transition defence, opening up numerous scoring opportunities and never letting the Taipans set the tempo.

While Cairns might normally have an advantage the following week, using their poor performance as motivation, their north Queensland rivals are bouncing back from the very same thing.

Rocked Crocs
“It was a very physical game and we just didn’t play very well,” was swingman Peter Crawford’s summation of their capitulation in Perth.

“Everyone’s grumpy, no one’s happy about it.”

The Wildcats dished up the same meal as Gold Coast, turning the game into a fast and physical affair where depth and individual talent had a greater bearing.

Crawford was honest when assessing how the game got out of hand so quickly after an even first quarter.

“Shawn (Redhage) hit a tough three on the buzzer, and momentum is a funny thing,” he said.

“They beat us convincingly twice in the season and twice in the pre-season and they are probably feeling pretty good against us, and we might have had that in the back of our minds too.

"You put those together and a couple of calls going for them and all of a sudden it’s a blowout.”

Harden up
The Crocs severely lacked mental and physical toughness on the night, and Crawford said the game was a much-needed wake-up call.

“I think it’s really motivated the group to … be more physical with each other at training and really up our intensity.

“The Wildcats and the Breakers are top of the table now,” he added.

“We’ve got to make sure we take care of our week-to-week stuff to get up to their level.”

There is no time for reflection, however, with Cairns another imposing defensive team – albeit with a slower modus operandi – who can move alongside the Crocs with a win on Friday.

“Cairns really grind it out defensively, so it’s tough to get good looks against them as well,” Crawford said.

“That’s the good thing about the NBL, it’s a different style every week, but the group’s been good at adjusting to the different styles we have to play.”

The wrap
Townsville have lost their past five games in Cairns, and memories of last year’s semi-final series are still fresh for Crawford and the other remaining squad members.

Centre Luke Schenscher is a key component of the Crocs’ offence, sucking defenders into the key and creating open looks for shooters like Crawford, Michael Cedar, Jacob Holmes and Todd Blanchfield.

Perth sent some physical double teams but mostly backed Luke Nevill to defend him without help. Expect Cairns to have similar faith in Ian Crosswhite, hoping he can negate Big Luke’s influence and force the Crocs into one-on-one play.

Taipans point guard Jamar Wilson will then have the crucial job of keeping counterpart Eddie Gill out of the lane where he regularly creates open shots.

Gill will also need to replicate Gibson’s aggressive work in transition. Few teams win halfcourt battles in Cairns, who use the deafening crowd and disciplined defence to keep teams out of their normal flow.

A veteran of many “Reptile Rumbles”, Crawford expects this to be a war, noting that this close to the playoffs “the importance of every game is massive” whether a local derby or not.

Prediction: Taipans by 5

]]> Previews Taipans Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:56:00 +1100 http://www.nbl.com.au/taipans1/news/article///fearne-looks-ahead-after-taipans-lowest-ever-score/ NUMBERS don't worry Taipans coach Aaron Fearne, which is lucky. NUMBERS don't worry Taipans coach Aaron Fearne, which is lucky. His side’s 76-49 defeat to Gold Coast on Sunday night ranks as the fifth-lowest total in league history and if it wasn’t for some sloppy Blaze shooting they could have easily lost by more than they scored. It was the club’s lowest-ever score, beating the 53 they managed against New Zealand in the grand final series last year. Luckily the Taipans restricted Sydney to 48 points last season, otherwise it would have been the lowest NBL total since Devonport were kept to 40 in 1983. It’s not like Fearne was happy to brush it off as a non-event, he was just keeping things in perspective. "I don’t really care about those records, they don’t really bother me," he said. "If you lose, you lose. We’ve had lots of positive results too." He is right. As sport goes, you have your swings and roundabouts. Look at the Australian Test team, who late last year were being hung out to dry after being bowled out for 47. This week, after smashing India 4-0, they are suddenly the new
Invincibles. The Queensland State of Origin team has had its dark days, too. Getting pummelled 56-16 in 2000 must not have been fun. But now they are planning to win their seventh-straight series. They have both shown it’s all about how you respond in times of crisis. And if the Taipans can take any consolation from Sunday’s record-breaking loss to Gold Coast, it is that their next opponent isn’t doing much better themselves. A day before the Gold Coast debacle, Townsville mustered just 55 points of their own in Perth. In Cairns on Friday night, the North Queensland rivalry could reach new heights as both sides battling for a spot in the top four. "We don’t have much time to worry about (the Gold Coast loss) it, because we’ve got Townsville on Friday,’’ said Fearne. ‘‘They got towelled up as well so it’ll be two pretty angry teams going at it."]]> Taipans Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:05:00 +1100 http://www.nbl.com.au/taipans1/news/article///cairns-taipans-hit-low-point-with-loss/ AN embarrassed Taipans will sift through the ashes this morning after a record-breaking night for... AN embarrassed Taipans will sift through the ashes this morning after a record-breaking night for all the wrong reasons on the Gold Coast. Cairns turned in their lowest score in the club’s history and surrendered fourth spot to the Blaze in a performance that sullied their reputation as the NBL’s most dogged side. For a while in the third quarter, the league’s lowest-ever score of 40, set by Devonport in 1983, looked in danger of being trumped. But in the end the Taipans’ 76-49 defeat was cringe-worthy enough and easily less than the next-lowest 56 they managed against Townsville last season. A listless Snakes looked like they were still sunbaking at Main Beach as Gold Coast executed a game plan designed to starve point guard Jamar Wilson of the ball. That resulted in 21 Taipans turn-overs in 40 minutes, with just two trips to the charity stripe. They were out-rebounded 27-42 – 17 of which were offensive boards. Put simply, the Taipans were pushed into the corner, where they made no attempt to evade the Blaze’s swinging fists. The nature of the loss came from nowhere, considering how well the team has played this season. "That was not a true reflection of where we want to be as a club," coach Aaron Fearne said. "We should be pretty embarrassed by that." There was no analysis or discussion after the game – they will leave the post-mortem until this morning. "People can say things and get emotional that don’t really help after the game," Fearne said. "It’d be close to the lowest-ever total in the NBL … how we respond from this is very important." The Gold Coast are now narrowly ahead of Cairns in fourth spot and if victorious over the Taipans in Cairns
on March 3, they will win their mini-series on points differential. With both teams in a tight battle for a finals spot, that mini-series result could be crucial. Already behind the eight-ball at quarter time, the Taipans failed to register a point for the first five minutes of the second stanza. The Blaze plucked offensive rebounds at will to go on a 12-point run and blow away 31-14 leaders before the main break. It was a remarkable scoreline given in their other two contests this season, the Taipans have registered their highest two totals. In-form Blaze guard Adam Gibson said the team’s increased focus on defence could answer for that swing. "It was almost like boot camp at training for a while there," he said. "We’re focusing on defence now and our plan was to keep the ball out of Wilson’s hands. We did that and they couldn’t score."]]> Taipans Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:12:00 +1100 http://www.nbl.com.au/taipans1/news/article///dustys-fit-for-taipans-comeback/ DUSTY Rychart will return for the Taipans tomorrow night on the Gold Coast and with 10 games... DUSTY Rychart will return for the Taipans tomorrow night on the Gold Coast and with 10 games remaining in the season could be the spark required to lift the side to another level for a second consecutive finals campaign. The blue-collar Rychart has been given the green light to come back from a foot injury at the expense of Dean Brebner. Coach Aaron Fearne said Rychart had proven himself ready during a tough week of training. "You could wait another two or three weeks, but I think that just builds the anxiety – the sooner he gets back on court the better," Fearne said. "Ten games is long enough for him to be back at his best and he’s the type of guy we need. We’ll be tough to deal with." A Taipans win would secure the series against the Coast, which would be the deciding factor if the teams finish the regular season on equal points. It is something often overlooked by fans, but has not slipped past coach Fearne, while Blaze big man Mark Worthington devoted his entire column in the Gold Coast Bulletin yesterday to that very topic. Twice the Snakes have brushed aside the confident Gold Coast outfit to dent their finals aspirations, but the Blaze have found another gear in the last month, coinciding with the sublime form of their point guard Adam Gibson. Gibson won his second player-of-the-week award last round and with the help of Worthington has lifted the Blaze back into outright fifth place. "Gibbo has been great all year, but we don’t go out there trying to stop one particular player,’’ Fearne said. "For us to do well, we need to make them execute tough plays.’’ The Snakes are the second-worst offensive team in the league, but they have managed their two-highest scores (91 and 87) against the Gold Coast this season. Not surprisingly Fearne has taken great pleasure from their battles this season. "I enjoy playing the good teams," he said. "Gold Coast are extremely talented and they’ve still got that tag of being a championship quality team and they’ve got some very fierce competitors who we like playing.’’]]> Taipans Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:07:00 +1100 http://www.nbl.com.au/taipans1/news/article///r17-report-blaze-tame-ice-cold-taipans-2/ A stunningly-physical defensive display has set up a thumping Gold Coast win over Cairns. BOXSCORE

The Gold Coast Blaze recorded a dominant 76-49 home win over the Cairns Taipans on Sunday night.

The Blaze produced its most lethal display to date to leapfrog Cairns into fourth spot. In stark contrast, the Taipans were miserable as they crashed to the lowest score of any team so far this season.

It was a win built on defence as the Blaze shut down every Taipans option, dominated the paint (30-22), the rebounds (42-27) and ultimately the scoreboard.

Australian Boomer Mark Worthington was the main destroyer with a game-high 17 points, seven rebounds, two steals and a block, while international teammate Adam Gibson contributed 10 points, six boards, four assists and three steals.

Anthony Petrie, playing his 100th NBL game, and import Adris Deleon (both 10) joined them in double figures.

Only Alex Loughton (12) could trouble the scoreboard for Cairns, with no other player coming close to reaching double figures in a dismal showing from the far north Queenslanders.

It was a slow start from both teams, but it didn't take long for Gibson to crack the game open, scoring six quick points including an athletic rebound off his own missed shot.

He then dished off a slick pass to young guard Jason Cadee for a three-pointer, setting up a 24-14 quarter-time lead to the Blaze.

The Blaze continued to stamp its authority, rattling off the first 10 points of the second term to set up an imposing advantage as its defensive efforts choked the Taipans.

Cairns' inability to penetrate was highlighted by 12 three-point attempts before halftime, just two of them finding their mark.

Import Andrew Warren opened the third term with a triple, but Gold Coast responded by piling on 10 unanswered points to kill off any hope of a Taipans revival.

Gold Coast Blaze 76 (Worthington 17, Gibson 10, Petrie 10, Deleon 10)
Cairns Taipans 49 (Loughton 12)

Crowd: 3088 at Gold Coast Convention Centre

]]> Match Reports Taipans Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:33:00 +1100 http://www.nbl.com.au/taipans1/news/article///cairns-taipans-say-welcome-back-dusty/ IT has taken 181 days, but finally the entire Taipans' squad has trained as one. IT has taken 181 days, but finally the entire Taipans' squad has trained as one. It is the first time since preseason training started on July 18 last year that all 11 squad members ran as one on the pine floors of the Fish Tank. Onlookers commented that it felt more "complete" and it was no wonder why, as the all-business Dusty Rychart returned from a foot injury that has kept him on the sidelines since November. He started the season well, covering for the loss of injured bigs Ian Crosswhite and Alex Loughton. But when they returned Rychart fell and only now the full squad have been reunited. The former Victoria Giant, Adelaide 36er, Wollongong Hawk and Brisbane Bullet took a while to get into the groove, losing the handle on his first few rives to the rim. But after two hours, he looked right at home. The "Garbage Man" was living up to his moniker, dishing off assists and grabbing tough rebounds to please coach Aaron Fearne. "Oh yeah, it’s great to have our group back together. It was a positive last year having Ian, Alex and Dusty coming at you, so it’ll be good to have that back," Fearne said. Like a true veteran, Rychart headed straight for the change room to ice both knees and feet after the session, but he and Fearne are hopeful of his return against the Gold Coast on Sunday. "I hope so, it depends on how it pulls up," Rychart said. "Psychologically I’m not quite there and it feels a little bit week (but), it feels good to be getting out there getting some action in. "It’s not fun sitting on the side watching, so to finish a full session is nice." If Rychart does return, it is still a mystery who he will replace. Fearne is not suggesting it would be straight swap for Dean Brebner, a late signing as 11th man just before round one. "I’d be disappointed if he’s sitting there ready to check out and I know he won’t do that," Fearne said. One thing is for certain – it won’t be Aaron Grabau who is left in Cairns. He does not look like missing when given time to set his feet from the perimeter, averaging a league-high 50 per cent (25-50) this season. Likewise, Kerry Williams has become a real live-wire off the bench and his spot is assured. That leaves Deba George and Jeff Dowdell to battle it out with Brebner for the remaining two spots. "We’ll be taking the 10 who are working hard at training and who are going to win us a ball game," Fearne said. ]]> Taipans Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:08:00 +1100 http://www.nbl.com.au/taipans1/news/article///r17-preview-gold-coast-blaze-v-cairns-taipans-2/ The Blaze host the Taipans in what Gold Coast star Adam Gibson says is a must-win game. Tip-off: Sunday, January 29, 6.30pm (local), Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre

TV: ONE 10.30pm (check local guides)

Last time they met: Gold Coast 73 (DeLeon 21, Gibson 16, Worthington 15) d Melbourne 60 (Tragardh 14, Dorsey 13), Round 15, 2011/12, Cairns Convention Centre

From road worriers to warriors
The Taipans won just six away games the past two seasons, but this year have won five from 10 to be the iiNet NBL’s third best road team.

With six of their last nine games at the Cairns Convention Centre, a win on the Gold Coast this Sunday could be a major step towards securing a playoff berth.

A major reason for the turnaround has been imports Jamar Wilson and Drew Warren, who are the league’s best-performing backcourt away from their home court, combining for 32.3 points and 7.8 rebounds a game.

Just as impressive is their ability to hit big shots down the stretch, something Blaze guard Adam Gibson is well aware of.

Legless?
“My focus with Warren will be to try and deny him the ball and make every catch hard,” Gibson said.

“Hopefully that will tire him out and he won’t have his legs to shoot those last-quarter shots.”

Warren has been rock solid on defence too, but the 188cm Gibson has a speed and strength mismatch he will look to exploit by “pushing the ball” and attacking the rim “off pin-down (screens)”.

“I need to be more aggressive to make him play D at the other end,” he said.

The Taipans have won both match-ups this season, meaning another victory will wrap up the season series and give them an edge in the race for fourth place.

Economy
Gibson noted balance is required between playing at a speed the Taipans don’t like and remaining in control.

“We’ve worked really hard the past three weeks at pushing it in transition, but if we haven’t got anything pulling it out and running offence,” he said.

“We’re a lot better at it, we’re not turning the ball over as much and we’re getting through the offence. That’s going to be crucial against the Taipans.”

With swingmen James Harvey and Chris Goulding injured, coach Joey Wright has used either strongmen Mark Worthington and Anthony Petrie in the small forward position, or the undersized Gibson when he elects for a small line-up.

“The good thing for me is I have been with Joey for a long time and I know his offence inside-out. So when Wortho or Peach come into the three-spot I know what works for those guys and vise-versa when we are smaller,” he said.

“We’ve got a lot of options in our offence where we can target one player, so whoever’s got a mismatch we know what to run.”

The wrap
The Blaze have looked more controlled since injuries forced them to reduce their rotations and play bigger in the forward spots.

Cairns’ 210cm centre Ian Crosswhite and 206cm power forward Alex Loughton both have a height advantage, but Worthington and Petrie are among the best defensive forwards in the competition.

Last time the teams met, the disciplined Taipans defence forced Gold Coast into one-on-one offence in the second half. Import point guard Adris DeLeon was the main offender, shooting 6-of-22 from the field and dishing off just two assists.

DeLeon now appears more comfortable in a pinch-hitter’s role with Gibson taking greater command, so expect the Blaze to exploit their forwards’ mismatches on a regular basis.

Having won two in a row to be within a game of fourth-placed Cairns, expect a committed Blaze performance against a very difficult opponent.

“We haven’t talked too much about it, right now we are more focused on … making sure the defence is switched on,” Gibson said.

“But we realise this is must-win.”

Prediction: Blaze by 2

]]> Previews Taipans Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:51:00 +1100 http://www.nbl.com.au/taipans1/news/article///no-one-punched-the-ref-in-cairns/ LET me just clarify two things from Friday night's NBL clash between Taipans and Wollongong at the... LET me just clarify two things from Friday night's NBL clash between Taipans and Wollongong at the Cairns Convention Centre. Firstly, nobody punched a referee on the night. There were many fans baying for blood after a few tough calls in the final quarter. But, thankfully for all involved, that was as far as it got, with Taipans’ boss Mark Beecroft confirming there was no case to answer after the game. And secondly, forget the rankings – the Hawks are a good team. At least when they play the Taipans they are. Hawks’ coach Gordie McLeod didn’t say it post-match, but it was clear to see. Wollongong clearly fancy themselves against Cairns. They match up perfectly because they also relish the slow grind. When teams such as New Zealand or the Gold Coast get caught in that trap, it is uncomfortable, but the Hawks love it. And they have been lucky enough to have two good shooting nights to win the series against the Taipans 2-1 – both defeats coming in Cairns. "I wouldn’t say we have their measure … we certainly enjoy the challenge of coming up here and enjoy the atmosphere Cairns has created," crafty coach McLeod said. Despite the Hawks languishing at the bottom of the ladder, Taipans coach Aaron Fearne will be happy to know they don’t have to play them again this season. "Gordie does good things with those guys and you see that they went to Townsville on Saturday night and almost beat them too," Fearne said. "They’ll knock a few more teams off before the season is out, you watch." It is for that reason Fearne was not worried about his side’s inconsistent weekend, which was righted with a stunning defeat of the 36ers in Adelaide on Sunday night. That win brought their road record to a more-than-handy 50 per cent, something Taipans fans could only dream of less than two years ago. Sunday’s win was important because it kept the Snakes two wins ahead of Gold Coast in fourth place. So can they stay there and play another finals series? Their next four games read Blaze, Crocs, Perth, Crocs – all teams aspiring to play finals too. There is a fair chance that after those four are done and dusted, we will be close to answering that question.]]> Taipans Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:16:00 +1100