Taipans’ focus on securing semi spot
HISTORY is up for grabs but Cairns is more focused on securing its NBL semi-final future when it hosts the JackJumpers on Friday night.
The Taipans have won six straight games, equalling the club record they achieved twice under Aaron Fearne when they won the minor premiership in 2014/15.
While that season ended with a heartbreaking loss in the championship series, it has long been the high point of the Far North club’s 24-season history in the league.
This Taipans team, under second-year coach Adam Forde, are statistically the second-best group to have represented the orange of Cairns, and it has a chance to set a new winning mark against Tasmania.
But assistant coach Kerry Williams said the past would not necessarily influence the present.
“Our preparation will be the same, we are playing with confidence but the players have remained focused and not paying attention to how many wins they have had in a row,” Williams said. “Those games are in the past and we focus on this game ahead and they have always done that well.”
What makes this six-game winning run all the more impressive is they have done so without star forward and MVP candidate Keanu Pinder, who has missed all six games since the December 23 loss to Melbourne United.
In his absence, the import trio of Tahjere McCall, Shannon Scott and DJ Hogg have stepped up to lead the unit, with all three hitting big numbers and landing crucial shots over the six-game streak.
Beyond that trio, the likes of Sam Waardenburg, Bul Kuol, Majok Deng and Ben Ayre have all chimed in with important performances.
Sunday’s heart-stopping 85-83 win against New Zealand Breakers in Auckland, on the second leg of a split double header, was made more interesting given Kuol, McCall and Hogg all led Taipans scorers with 18 points each.
While the offence has started to fire, Williams said he and the coaching staff recognised it started on the defensive end.