Kelly says Snakes ‘doing right things’
Weeks delivers in return to Cairns
MIKE Kelly insists the Taipans playing group are still responding to his coaching despite the club tumbling to their 11th straight defeat.
The first-year mentor pointed to the Snakes’ improved offensive execution, at times, during the loss to New Zealand on Sunday night as an example of changes to the way the group is playing, despite the growing loss tally.
“This week we tried to move the ball more in one of our sets, so we ran a lot more of one set in particular,” Kelly said following the 78-89 defeat. “And, there is multiple options of it but it was the closest we have come to a continuity offence.
“It slowed the tempo down for us, if we did not have anything in transition.
“The guys are still listening and doing the right things.
“We just need to extend that period of time and make plays, when they can make plays.”
The effort and energy was better for the Taipans but it was still the same result in the end. After coach Kelly called out the squad’s lack of energy and effort in the defeat to Perth last Sunday, those factors were much improved against the Breakers.
But, it still was not enough to break their growing losing sequence after leading early in the final term.
With Sydney, Adelaide and Perth coming in the next three for Cairns, it is hard to see when the extending streak will be snapped.
After trailing for much of the afternoon, a Melo Trimble triple late in the third term Thursday Cairns v Sydney Friday New Zealand v Illawarra Brisbane v Perth Saturday Adelaide v Cairns Sunday Sydney v Melbourne Illawarra v Perth gave the Snakes a rare lead, as they outscored the Kiwi’s 26-17 in the third quarter. The hosts took all the momentum into the all-important final quarter but the experience of Tai Wesley and Shawn Long under the bucket proved the difference in the final frame.
Despite his encouraging form of late, which resulted in a call-up to the Australian Boomers, Nate Jawai was replaced in the starting line-up by Lucas Walker, as Rob Loe slid up to the five slot.
Jawai did not let the early sit get to him as he impacted the game when he was injected, grabbing 11 points and nine rebounds.
A game-high 10 first term points from rookie Devon Hall gave Cairns a slim lead at the first change. Hall could add just four more points for the rest of the evening.
Trimble finished with 23 to again lead Cairns. Pic: GETTY
THE GUYS ARE STILL LISTENING AND DOING THE RIGHT THINGS.
NEW Zealand Breakers coach Kevin Braswell is getting exactly what he wanted when he envisaged signing former Taipan Jarrad Weeks.
The Snakes starting point guard for much of 2017-18 inked a two-year deal with the Kiwis in the off-season and was one of his new club’s best players on Sunday night, back in the Far North for the first time.
Weeks had a big night in his first return to Cairns, registering 17 points and hitting two clutch triples in the final term.
“He has been great,” Braswell said. “It was always about his aggression, I loved what I saw from him when he was at Illawarra all the way to Cairns.
“He was a starter for most of the season last year in Cairns and he could be a starter to be honest in this league. He has accepted the role (of back-up point guard) but I think in the last three games he has shown how high he can take it.”
Eight second-term points each from Tom Abercrombie and Weeks helped the Breakers outscore the Snakes by six to take a five-point advantage into the long break.
The Breakers outscored the Taipans 27-13 in the final stanza to snare the win.