Machado sidelined

Taipans’ star signing goes down to injury

AN INJURY forced import point guard Scott Machado out of the third and final game of the Cairns Taipans’ Victorian pre-season camp.

The experienced American floor general suffered the complaint in the middle of the three games, defeated by Melbourne United on Friday evening, before he sat out of the loss to South East Melbourne Phoenix yesterday.

Cairns went 1-2 on the trip after they outlasted the Phoenix on Wednesday, before following up with two defeats.

After the blowout loss to United, the 29-year-old Machado did not look in serious pain, but he failed to suit up at all against Phoenix.

Machado, who was signed to replace reigning club MVP Melo Trimble, handed out 14 assists in his first game for the Far North club against the Phoenix.

Yesterday, against the Phoenix again, the visitors were sluggish for much of the first half except for exciting rookie forward Kouat Noi, who looked to push the pace whenever he could.

Noi often crashed the boards and created his own fast breaks as the NBL’s newest club controlled most of the proceedings.

A 23-8 first five minutes of the third term blew the game open for the home side. Cairns dragged it back to a single-figure deficit inside three minutes to play but South East Melbourne held on, 93-80 winners.

Second-year Snakes coach Mike Kelly was handed a technical foul late in the game as he was frustrated with the way the game was being called.

Import forward Cameron Oliver, who scored a teamhigh 24 points, also showed promising signs yesterday as he attacked the rim.

A complete box score was not available for the defeat to United, but the NBL powerhouses scored a 88-104 victory on Friday.

Cairns were without reserve point guard Jarrod Kenny and big man Nate Jawai.

The Snakes’ pre-season continues this coming weekend as they host Brisbane for two games in the Far North.