Long layoff to have Taipans primed for Kiwis

WITH Santa on his way back to the North Pole and the last of the Christmas pudding finally eaten, the Cairns Taipans returned to training yesterday ahead of their looming New Year’s Eve encounter against New Zealand.

By the time next Thursday night rolls around, Cairns, sixth (6-10), will have enjoyed a 14-day preparation window for the Breakers, second (10-6).

The lengthy break is a welcome respite considering the helter-skelter nature of this season’s made-for-television NBL draw, which has seen teams tackle extended stints away from home or scheduled to play more back-to-back games than in previous years.

The Taipans haven’t played since their (Round 11) December 17 loss to the Wildcats at the Convention Centre, all games now must wins if they intend on returning to the play-offs.

“I think if you ask any coach if you had a number of (additional) days to prepare (for a match) (they’d tell you) it’s an advantage,” Taipans coach Aaron Fearne told The Cairns Post.

“But in saying that, last year we had multiple games where we showed 10 minutes of video (to the players) and (they) went out and won by 20 points.

“It’s hard to explain why (teams win games with little preparation time). It helps a little (with our preparation) that our (and the Breakers’) sys- tems are fairly similar. We played each other six times last year; twice this year, once in the pre-season and a few weeks (ago).

“We’re pretty familiar with what each team is trying to do defensively and offensively and who they’re trying to go at.”

There is still no word on whether Markel Starks will play next week. The import sustained a hamstring injury that forced him to leave the court in the opening minutes of his side’s December 17 loss to the Wildcats.

Assistant coach Ben Knight was called on for a belated 400th NBL appearance as the last-placed Sydney Kings slipped to a 93-83 loss to the New Zealand Breakers in a brave effort on their new home court yesterday.

With leading big men Josh Childress and Julian Khazzouh out injured, the Kings suited up Knight for his milestone first NBL appearance in more than four years, injecting him into the clash in the ninth minute and giving him eight minutes for an understandably limited return of one rebound and 0-3 shooting.

The loss continued the hosts’ injury-dogged season as they slipped to a 4-14 record while the second-placed Breakers improved to 11-6.