Tad on upward trend

TAIPANS point guard Tad Dufelmeier will be hoping his breakout performance against Illawarra can lead to more opportunities on the court.

The 25-year-old was called on to play extended minutes in the second half of Sunday’s 82-80 loss to the Hawks at the Snag Pit, after star import Scott Machado sustained a minor leg injury and did not return after halftime.

In an NBL career-high 13 minutes, Dufelmeier finished with 12 points, eight of which came in the final quarter when the game was in the balance, including two crucial longrange bombs. He also had three steals.

Machado will be a gameday decision, but if he’s ruled out it could mean Dufelmeier will play a much larger role.

“I was pretty ready for it,” Dufelmeier said.

“It’s been building for the past two years, just learning from the two guys in front of me, JK (Jarrod Kenny) and Scott (Machado). It’s been good to go against them and pick up things here and there.

“I wish I could have executed a little bit better but I think that will come with some more opportunity down the stretch.”

The Hawks held a 12-point lead midway through the fourth quarter on Sunday, before the Taipans came storming back to get as close as two points in the final minute.

Dufelmeier was far from daunted by the occasion.

“I live for those moments,” he said. “I love basketball, so anytime I get that opportunity, especially in those moments, I think I perform my best.

“It sucks to not come out on top but if I could play that game every night, coming down the wire, I would take that one.”

He said he would keep building his game in the pursuit of increased court time.

“Just try and improve with each game, each opportunity I get,” he said.

“Help the team, run the team, do what my position says, be the coach on the floor, get the guys set up so there’s less confusion and less turnovers, and get the offence moving smooth the next time I get back in.”

Coach Mike Kelly said Dufelmeier could expect to see more time on the court.

“Tad can play,” he said. “It was great for him to have that opportunity and I think he took some pressure off Jarrod Kenny to not just carry the ball the whole time.

“Tad did a really good job of sparking us on both ends and then settling us.

“He made a few mistakes himself but they were all really positive, attacking mistakes, and I love that, so he’ll get more opportunities.”

The Taipans will take on the Adelaide 36ers at the Snag Pit tonight, and Kelly said the side’s execution had to match its energy.

“We have to learn that it’s not good enough just to play hard, we need to execute,” he said. “If we do that from the start, we give ourselves a better chance to be a good team.”