SNAKES SET FOR BLITZ

CAIRNS Taipans have been likened to sharks after blood as they prepare to finally face players from another club when the NBL Blitz begins.

Before boarding their flight for Tasmania, Taipans’ Tall Blacks duo Jordan Ngatai and Jarrod Kenny as well as assistant coach Sam Gruggen all said the team was itching to get among the rest of the league to prove what they’re capable of.

Ngatai’s first season at the Taipans ended with an injury in the last game, but the forward is back and driven to bring a championship to FNQ.

The Blitz comes first, and Ngatai is just keen to face new competition.

“I think we’re kind of getting sick of each other and competing against each other,” Ngatai said.

“We call it fresh blood, like sharks – we just want to play against different groups because for the last two months we’ve just been playing against each other. Playing against another team – it’s just going to create a whole new competitive level to us.”

The Taipans will take on the Adelaide 36ers at Mystate Bank Arena in Hobart on Sunday afternoon to kick off its preseason stint in the south.

Taipans veteran Kenny is suiting up for his fourth NBL season in Cairns, and brings valuable experience and tactical nous to the lineup.

While the side is eager to set a high standard of play from the get-go, he said the Blitz was a chance to finetune a few things before the regular season.

“It’ll be good to get on tour and play someone other than ourselves, because that’s all we’ve been doing for the last month and a half,” Kenny said. “We have things to work on, new systems in place … that’s our main priority – to stay on top of that.”

Gruggen joined the Taipans this off-season, following head coach Adam Forde in moving to Far North

Queensland from the Sydney Kings.

With a number of new pieces, as well as a return to emphasis on defence, Gruggen said there was a lot to be gained from the Blitz.

“When it gets to that point where we just want to play someone else; I think we’re past that point now,” he said. “It’ll be good to get down there and see what other teams are like and how our style of play fits.”

All NBL Blitz games will be shown live on Kayo Freebies.