Starks in race against time
Anxious wait on import as crunch time looms for Taipans
CAIRNS coach Aaron Fearne remains tight-lipped on whether US import Markel Starks will be declared fit for his side’s New Year’s Eve blockbuster against the New Zealand Breakers.
Starks played no further part in last Thursday night’s three-point loss to the Wildcats after sustaining a left hamstring injury in the sixth minute of the first quarter.
The American did some light shooting away from the squad but for the majority of yesterday’s training session was reduced to being a spectator, Fearne not yet in a position to rule him in or out of the December 31 clash.
“There’s no timeframe,” Fearne told the The Cairns Post on Starks’ expected return to the court. “We’re still trying to get an answer on that.
“Obviously we need his production out there, he’ll be back when he’s back at this stage.
“He could be (ruled fit) or he might not be, so that’s kind of where it’s at at the moment.”
Fearne said if Starks was ruled unfit it would be up to the likes of Damon Heuir, Torrey Craig and the everimproving Shaun Bruce to fill the void left by Starks ahead of a vital period where the Taipans require nothing but wins to again feature in February’s playoffs.
“We play six games in 15 days, starting with our New Year’s Eve clash against the Breakers, so that fixture and our upcoming games are going to shape where we’re at (come finals time),” Fearne said.
“We’ve got a number of games at home ... going forward we’re going to have to make our home court tough as heck to win in and get some momentum that way.
“Then we’re going to have to go and get some games on the road. I think every team in the league will lose 10 plus games – that’s my feel.
“It’s going to make it pretty tight (to secure a playoff spot) if that’s going to be the case.
“I would say we’re going to have to get to 14 wins at least, so that means us needing to win another eight games.”
The Taipans again train today ahead of three days off over the Christmas period.
The team will then resume practice on Sunday in the lead-up to the Breakers’ match.