TAKING ON WILDCATS

QMany selected the Taipans to come last in the NBL and the bookmakers had them at long odds but what were your expectations coming into the season?

AI absolutely had the expectation that we had put together a playoffs team. There were some bumps along the way, as all teams had but the guys stuck to the process and the plan and it all came together. It was obviously disappointing to see people writing us off at the start of the season but we thrive on an underdog status and it makes it all the more sweeter when we come up against these big market teams and make the playoffs. I do hope that a lot of our fans got on early at those odds and the bookies have to pay up.

QThink back to the pre-season for me, did you feel making the semi-final stage was something the squad could achieve?

AI never doubted it to be honest. It’s a clean slate now and the Perth Wildcats have needed two overtime games at home to beat us, one with a big three and one with, how do I say this politely, a dubious foul call. The boys will be really positive going into this series and the fact they could secure home court advantage was massive.

QThey are the defending champions of the league and have a mountain of experience but what do you think the key to beating the Perth Wildcats is?

AI think we need to simply stick to what we do. Obviously we will need to shut down their import guards in Bryce Cotton and Casey Prather to an extent but we’ve shown we have the team to beat Perth this season. The guys seem to really match up well to Perth and they will be aggressive.