Blockbuster battle
THERE is a huge top-of-the-table clash to kick off Round 13 of FNQ Rugby tonight at West Barlow. The two in-form clubs of the competition, Southside Crusaders and Barron-Trinity Bulls, will do battle from 8pm. The Crusaders and Bulls will be well rested for the big game as both their matches were forfeited by other clubs in Round 12. In other games this weekend, Cairns Wanderers tackle JCU Mariners at Stan Williams Park on Saturday from 3pm while Brothers face Innisfail & District Rugby Club from 5pm at the same venue. Northern Beaches Mudcrabs have the bye.
Aussies fall in China
MITCH McCarron and the NBL AllAustralian team fell in the opening game of their threematch Tour of China on Wednesday night. The second-year Taipan added spark off the bench but China held on for a tense 68-66 victory in Beijing. The NBL All-Australian team started strongly to open an 18-10 lead by late in the first quarter and were still up against the hosts by a point at halftime despite having gone to the free-throw line just twice. McCarron added two assists in the first half. The second game will be played in Jilin today before the third and final game in Dongguan on Sunday. Both matches will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 3 at 9.30pm AEST.
Cairns gun lauded
BULLETS guard Adam Gibson says the arrival of Cairns star Travis Trice will give Brisbane’s back-court an extra edge this season. “It’s a great combination of players,” Gibson said. “(Trice) is a great player and he had a great season with Cairns. “I think he’ll complement our group really well. With him and Stephen Holt coming in, it really changes our team. “(Trice) can bring more pace and he’s a dynamic scorer so he can create his own shot. “Last year we relied on the team offence to score a lot, and we will this year again. But for him to be able to come off and create his own basket and get other guys wide open, that’s something we lacked last year and something he’s really good at.” Bullets coach Andrej Lemanis also said the team hoped Ohio-born Trice would create plenty of opportunities for his teammates in the upcoming season.