Fisher says ‘team fit’ key to Marlins season
BASKETBALL AS the longest tenured rotation player on the Cairns Marlins, point guard Anthony Fisher is a valued judge on how the QBL club is placed leading into a finals campaign.
He was there three seasons back when they lifted a state title and has been a focal point over the last two campaigns when they have had their years ended at the hands of Townsville deep in the play-offs.
A victory this evening against Gladstone will improve Cairns to 13-5 on the season and lock in a home final in a fortnight’s time. Tonight Cairns Marlins v Gladstone Port City Power Surge: 8.30pm at the Fish Tank. Cairns Dolphins v Gladstone Port City Power Breakers 6.30pm.
The Marlins leader and Taipans training player believes the continuity of keeping Christian Jurlina and Fabijan Krslovic across two seasons have set up the 2019 run.
“We have had different players coming in and out in all the seasons I have been here and I think the main thing this season is the established core group, through the starting five,” Fisher said.
“Every year we get really good players but for me to stay, Christian, Fabijan too, and bringing in Alex Loughton, who is familiar with all of us and Jamie O’Loughlin’s coaching, is key.
“We were not in the situation this season where we felt we had to change a lot coming into the year, where we may have in the past.
“The position we are in now, we are looking forward to what might be a long stretch to the end of the season.”
Fisher noted the 2017 Marlins squad may have had more genuine talent than the current group, but feels this team plays and fits together.
“We are putting the team first at all times, and that goes for everyone on the roster,” he said.
“If you do not put the team first, you will probably find yourself sitting on the sideline.”
Gladstone have won just one game in 2019 but Fisher is not taking them lightly as the Marlins only just beat the Central Queensland team earlier this season.
Import Tommy Hamilton has improved as the season has wore on, with Fisher explaining it took a while for the team to understand the centre’s game but they are in synch now. Meanwhile, it is highly unlikely Cairns prodigy Tamuri Wigness will qualify for the NBL’s Next Stars program.
The Brisbane Bullets were keen to sign the teenage point guard as part of the program before the NBL stepped in.
The Cairns Basketball program still has plenty of NBL interest ahead of the 2019-20 season. The Bullets were also considering Wigness for a full roster spot.
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ON the surface, experienced American point guard Scott Machado looks like a perfect signing for the Cairns Taipans.
Speaking last year after his NBA call-up to the Los Angeles Lakers, Machado described himself as an oldschool pass first point guard.
With Mike Kelly trying to create his own culture and identity within the club after another full roster turnover, the second-year mentor has turned to a steady hand that he can trust with the ball in late game situations and to run the offence he likes.
With emerging talents like Majok Deng and Kouat Noi running the lanes and looking for lobs, the 29-year-old playmaker will be the right man to find them the ball in transition.
Last season Cairns had an import point guard in Melo Trimble who was excellent at creating his own shot but at times struggled to get his teammates involved, leading to fellow import Devon Hall’s battles to find consistency, as his opportunities fluctuated.
Another key factor of Machado’s acquisition is leadership in and around the playing group. With captain Alex Loughton and deputy Lucas Walker gone, there is certainly a leadership void as Cairns have focused on going younger with their roster this season.
It is a little rare to see an import take on the role of skipper of a NBL club but do not be surprised if the former LA Laker is elected by the playing group as the captain.