FEARNE: WE HAVE TO BE MUCH BETTER
Taipans coach Aaron Fearne has urged his squad to embrace the pressure of tonight’s season defining clash in Adelaide but has conceded they will need to be much better performed if they are going to beat the 36ers again.
A win tonight, coupled with Queensland neighbours Brisbane upsetting Illawarra, would deliver the Taipans second spot on the NBL ladder, while a defeat could see them miss the post-season all together.
AARON Fearne has urged his squad to embrace the pressure of tonight’s season-defining clash in Adelaide but has conceded they will need to be much better performed if they are going to beat the 36ers again.
The Snakes overcame the 36ers bench brigade at home on Thursday evening but will need to step up again and beat the players that have made Adelaide the minor premiers tonight.
A win tonight, coupled with Queensland neighbours Brisbane upsetting Illawarra, would deliver the Taipans second spot on the NBL ladder, while a defeat could see them miss the post-season altogether.
Adelaide coach Joey Wright subbed out his entire starting five to finish the match on Thursday, not wanting to risk any of his guns as the Taipans ran out four-point winners, but Fearne expects the big names to feature more tonight.
The Taipans got smacked on the boards, the 36ers grabbed 14 more than the hosts, and the Snakes coach wants it to be a focus tonight.
“They are by far the best team in this league,” Fearne said.
“We are going to have to play a lot better than we did on Saturday.
“We got our butts whipped on the glass on Thursday, their competitive spirit in that department of the game was better than ours.
“They are a huge transition team so we will need to be good with that.
“Our discipline is a big thing too for this team, we cannot give always silly fouls and put Adelaide on the foul line.
“They will play their guys a lot more on Saturday and we will need to be a lot better.
“Offensively, we need to be better at moving the ball.”
Fearne wants his squad to enjoy the opportunity of trying to qualify for their first finals series since the 2014-15 season.
“This is what you play for, this is a privilege to have this pressure,” he said.
“We are in with a chance and I’m really proud.
“We control our own destiny and that is what we wanted.
“If we go play well on Saturday, we are in, if not, we will be depending on other results.
“We’re a small market team, we’re not supposed to be a playoff team but we’ve fought really hard and we are right there on the doorstep.”
The 36ers have won six of their past nine games against Cairns at all venues.
In last night’s fixture, New Zealand accounted for Melbourne 88-70.