Taipans lock in trio for NBL21 season

THE Taipans have locked in three members of the squad which powered to the NBL semi-finals last season.

Mirko Djeric, Fabijan Krslovic and Kouat Noi will all remain in orange when the NBL season tips off in December. The club took up their options before the start of the free agency period, which starts on July 15.

In a club statement, reigning NBL Coach of the Year Mike Kelly said that locking in the young Australian trio was a priority.

“We are really proud of the group we put together last season and there is no doubt that Mirko, Fab and Kouat were all, individually, extremely important parts of that,” Kelly said in the statement.

“We know these guys have really brilliant basketball careers ahead of them, and I’m glad they will continue their journey with the Taipans.”

Noi entered the NBL promising to win the Rookie of the Year award, and while injury cruelled his campaign, he was still a standout of the Snakes.

His injury handed Djeric, who started NBL20 on the bench, the opportunity to start – one he took with two hands as he took his game, and impact, to another level.

Krslovic averaged 2.8 points, 2.4 rebounds in his first full season in the NBL, and there is confidence the Cairns Basketball product will develop into a stronger presence in years to come.

The club also said it hoped to provide an update on developments about its home court in coming days.

A 65-day work delay has all but ruled out the Cairns Convention Centre as a home court for the first half of the season.