JAWAI KEEN ON TRICE
TAIPANS centre Nate Jawai wants reigning club MVP Travis Trice back in Cairns for a second run at an NBL championship.
The Snakes, led by Jawai and Trice, finished second on the ladder last season before crashing out of the playoffs and the rehabbing big man would like his close mate to return to the Far North.
Taipans coach Aaron Fearne declared last week he would have the import floor general back at the club if he wanted to return.
The stumbling block is Trice, who averaged a touch under 15 points a game last season, is desperate to crack the NBA and will throw everything at the upcoming Summer League to try to reach his dreams.
After finishing the season with the Taipans, Trice returned to the Westchester Knicks in the NBA D-League and put up solid numbers with an eye to gaining a gig in the big league.
“We had a good team last year, we were all new to each other,” Jawai said.
“If we get another crack, I think we would be good chance with Trav being back but that is not my decision.
“It is the front office and coaching staff’s decision but if he is back, I am happy.
“But, if he is not back, hopefully we can find someone as good as him and move forward.”
Jawai had a shoulder reconstruction in late March with his rehab slowly ramping up as Fearne revealed his star centre was ahead of schedule last week.
The Bamaga product is missing being around his Snakes teammates and is aiming to be ready for the 2017-18 pre-season.
“It is all right, I am going forward slowly, not too far away,” Jawai said.
“I am feeling good, hopefully I can get back before the pre-season starts.
“At the moment, I have a high range of motion and it is looking well.
“It is just physio at the moment. I was not allowed to do anything physical for two months, running or anything.”
Jawai yesterday worked with the Queensland Police Service to help deliver the Speak Up, Be Strong, Be Heard program at Cairns West State School, promoting messages of child safety and protective behaviours.
The Cairns West area was identified in last year’s Smallbone report as a high-risk area that required urgent intervention for prevention of youth sexual abuse and violence towards children.
As a result, the Speak Up, Be Strong, Be Heard program was created to develop an ethos of child protection through increasing community awareness and reporting of child protection issues.
The Queensland Police Service has scheduled a number visits to schools in the region and involved the Taipans Indigenous Program to address the problem, using Jawai’s star status to emphasis the importance of the project and help engage students.