Victory buoys Snakes

TONIGHT TAIPANS V KINGS

JUST keep the ball rolling.

After the emotional high of breaking their 14-game losing skid on Thursday night, firstyear mentor Mike Kelly is desperate to keep the positive momentum going into tonight’s match at home against NBL championship contenders Sydney.

The Andrew Bogut-led Kings are a whole different ball game to a tired and out-ofsorts Brisbane Bullets, but after the breakthrough triumph, the Snakes will be full of confidence, for the first time in three months.

“We have got a bunch of games in a short amount of time and our guys have been great on the second game of a weekend double so far this season,” Kelly said. “We have to give guys confidence with the freedom to take good shots, and good shooters will eventually make them.

“Defensively, we have to be physical without fouling.

“We need to continue to improve. We have to build on it – it is one game – we have to hit the scout into Sydney and build on what we did against Brisbane.”

Tonight’s Round 12 NBL contest is the third time the two clubs have met this season, Andrew Gaze’s men winning both prior match-ups, one in the Far North, late last year, and one in the Harbour City.

Sydney will be looking to bounce back after a surprise loss at Illawarra on Saturday.

“They are a team that are going to come out really desperate and they gave us some trouble,” Gaze said of the Snakes. “They took us to overtime at our place and it was a close one last game as well.

“Cairns has been playing a lot of zone, they played a lot of zone against us when we played them at their place a few weeks ago.

“We have done a bit of work on that and hopefully we will be prepared for what they will throw at us.”

Kings reserve point guard Kyle Adnam says his club is wary of Cairns, despite their lowly status on the ladder.

“Coming into this road trip, we know we just need to come in and take care of business,” Adnam said. “Illawarra and Cairns are going to be very hungry and we have to come in from the tip and be ready.

“We will take confidence from the last time we played them and look at the things we did well and the reason we won.

“Every game in this league is tough and we need to go in and play the right way.” Monday March 4, 2019 • 12 – 2.30pm Royal International Convention Centre, Brisbane

Single ticket: $165 • Tables of 10 available

Featuring The Courier-Mail’s rugby league experts Peter Badel, Robert Craddock, Paul Malone and Travis Meyn in panel discussion with Brisbane Broncos, North QLD Cowboys and Gold Coast Titans head coaches and captains. Plus hear from keynote speaker NRL CEO, Todd Greenberg, along with Brisbane Broncos and Origin legends Darren Lockyer and Gordon Tallis.