END OF AN ERA

CAPTAIN DITCHES TAIPANS:

CAIRNS Taipans captain Cameron Gliddon has followed his mentor Aaron Fearne out the door as the club now faces an uphill battle to hold on to star guard Mitch McCarron.

The 28-year-old Gliddon (pictured) was always unlikely to remain in Cairns once the club cut ties with Fearne as the pair have built a close working relationship in their six years together in orange.

The Taipans last night said Gliddon had signed with another NBL team.

Taipans CEO Mark Beecroft said Gliddon’s departure was unfortunate.

“While disappointed that Gliddon did not afford the club an opportunity to present an offer, he did communicate a desire to change his environment after spending six years here,” Beecroft said.

“Given the club’s current transitional period it was anticipated there would be subsequent changes to the playing roster, and this is one of them.”

Gliddon and Fearne, with former Taipan and Brisbane Bullet Shaun Bruce and Taipan Jarrad Weeks, worked out together at Cairns Basketball on Tuesday morning.

Gliddon, Fearne and McCarron all share an agent, with the decision not to renew the coach’s contract having played a part in Gliddon’s decision to also leave the club.

McCarron, who recently signed a short-term deal with Slovenian team Olimpija Ljubljana, is also out of contract following two seasons in Cairns with every club in Australia circling the athletic guard.

The Cairns Post was yesterday afternoon told Gliddon was “pretty upset” following the Taipans decision to cut ties with Fearne recently.

The West Australian-born Gliddon has been linked to his hometown Perth Wildcats in recent weeks as well as the Taipans instate rivals, Brisbane. The Bullets have a long history of pinching Taipans players with Travis Trice, Shaun Bruce and Torrey Craig all moving to other end of the state recently.

“There is nothing confirmed at this stage on that,” said Brisbane general manager Richard Clarke.

“There is interest in him from eight different clubs right now, I would say. He is one of the highest profile free agents.”

Gliddon first signed with the Taipans in 2012 and was handed the captaincy at the start of the 2013-14 season. He has held the title ever since. The shooting guard averaged 12.6 points a game last

season.