Why Jawai is back on court for Cairns
BOOM recruit Nate Jawai believes the Cairns Marlins have all the ingredients to become a NBL1 North championship contender.
The Taipans big man played his first game for the Marlins since 2012 in last Friday night’s 85-68 win against Southern District, and grabbed a double-double on his way to 16 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
Jawai, who was part of the Marlins’ Queensland Basketball League and Australian Basketball Association championship-winning seasons in 2004 and 2007, said he would love to deliver another title to Cairns.
And with fellow Taipans Majok Deng and Mirko Djeric also donning the sky blue
for the rest of the NBL1 North season, he believes they’re in with a shot.
“The club has a great history of winning championships,” Jawai said. “With the pieces we have, with Majok (Deng) and Mirko (Djeric) coming in and with (Anthony) Fisher and all the other guys that have been here having a foundation, I think we have a really good chance.
“We’ve only been through a few training sessions together, so we still have to figure out a lot of things like combinations and chemistry, and it’s going to be tough, but it’s exciting.
“You have three very highly-emotional guys coming to the team, it’s going to be impacting everyone, hopefully in a positive way.
“I can’t wait to see how it unfolds and hopefully have a championship at the end of the season.”
Jawai’s return to the Marlins reunites him with former championship-winning teammates Deba George and Curt Ahwang, as well as Kerry Williams as head coach.
He said his friendship with Williams off the court was a big factor in him coming back to the club for the first time in almost a decade.
“It was just that brotherhood we had when I first moved to Cairns to take up basketball and I thought it was a good opportunity to get him to coach me,” Jawai said.
“I’ve played with him and he’s been a terrific point guard for me when I was playing here, and to have him coach me is going to be different, but
I’m looking forward to it.
“He’s been a huge part of my career and my life, I talk to him all the time, so it was an easy decision. We speak the same language, we communicate better, but with him being on the sideline and me being on court, I haven’t experienced that before so it’s exciting for me.
“I know he’s a great coach but being coached under him, it’s going to be challenging. Like I said, I’m really emotional, so if he benches me I’ll probably get mad. But he’s used to it.”
Jawai said it was special to return to the Fish Tank.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been playing in this gym,” he said. “This is what carved the way for me, and to come back and play here, it’s exciting, all the memories coming back.
“Everything’s so close but everybody can hear everything, so I’ve got to be careful with some of the emotional words that come out of my mouth.”
Williams said it was great to have Jawai back with the Marlins.
“I guess he won’t leave me alone,” he said. “He kept saying if I coached then he wanted to play, but I think everything else away from basketball had to work out for him, and I think he’s got that all sorted so it’s great that he’s here now.
“Hopefully Nate and Deba can show some of the magic they used to have – they used to be called thunder and lightning.”
The Marlins take on USC Rip City at the Fish Tank on Saturday night.