NBL 2021: Taipans game against New Zealand Breakers postponed
The Cairns Taipans - who haven’t played basketball since New Years - have had another upcoming game put off due to the pandemic.
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The Taipans have experienced yet another speed bump on the road that’s been their NBL22 season, with the announcement that Sunday match against the New Zealand Breakers will be postponed again.
This is the second time the game between the two sides has been put off this season, and the fourth home game to be altered by Covid.
The Taipans have not played since their New Year’s Eve loss to the Perth Wildcats.
The team has been impacted by Covid cases in the past week, however the organisation said players had returned to full training this week and were prepared to play.
The postponement comes after the Breakers game against the Tasmania JackJumpers on January 19 was called off due to Covid.
The Taipans games against the South East Melbourne Phoenix and Illawarra Hawks on January 25 and 29 respectively are still scheduled to go ahead.
How Covid break helps the Taipans when NBL returns
A PROLONGED Covid-forced break will change the way the Cairns Taipans prepare for their hopeful return to the NBL court against the Breakers on Sunday afternoon.
The Taipans have not graced the hardwood for a NBL game since their six-point loss to Perth on New Year’s Eve, with positive Covid cases and close contact rules essentially sidelining the squad for much of the year so far.
The team is back on the practice court and putting in plenty of work ahead of their scheduled return this Sunday, but they’re not preparing the way teams might have done so at this stage of the season in the pre-Covid era.
Cairns coach Adam Forde is well-known for the depth of detail in his opposition scouting reports, but with the club’s opponent permanently at risk of changing just days out from a fixture it’s forced the Snakes to solely focus on themselves.
And with so much of the squad recently quarantined, that means more fitness work, but the extended, surprise break has given Forde’s staff the chance to learn and understand how a Covid break has affected other NBL teams.
“Covid hit us pretty hard,” he said. “This week, a lot to do with the fitness side of things, try to build the guys’ energy levels back up and recovery from being ill. To have everybody here now six days before the game is perfect.
“What’s fortunate for us is we were the last to get it. We’ve seen how other teams come back from a 22, 23-day hiatus.
“I think a bit of the common theme, there’s been sluggish starts. Talking to other teams and what their preparation was, seeing what works and what doesn’t work, and recognising it’s probably more to do with the fitness side of it than the basketball.
“With this week leading in, it hasn’t been back to normal, it’s almost got a mini pre-season feel to it.”
Forde admitted the regular change to the schedule made scouting difficult.
“It’s frustrating, the whole season has been like that,” he said. “There’s been multiple times we’ve prepared for a team, and then in 48 hours it’s changed.
“The old cliche of all you can really do is concentrate on yourself is pretty much where we’re at. Fitness is number one, getting our touch back is number two, and getting the synergy with half-court sets is number three.
“Whoever we play against is almost … I don’t want to say it’s completely irrelevant, but there won’t be as much focus on the scout of the opposition compared to a normal season because right now, there’s potential we haven’t played for 26 days. It's more to do with us than anybody else.”
MCCALL ITCHING FOR A RETURN
THE timing of the Taipans’ Covid issues and postponed games could not have been better timed for star import Tahjere McCall, who has credited the extended time off with helping him rebuild his injured knee.
“It’s been hard, honestly – I kinda miss basketball, it’s been a while since we’ve played,” McCall said.
“I’ve been in the gym, working out. I’ve been blessed not to have it, but it’s just been hard.
“The team stayed together, I can’t complain, I’m just happy to be back with my guys.”
McCall slipped on the court and hyperextended his left knee during a shootaround before the New Year’s Eve clash with the Wildcats at the Cairns Convention Centre.
“The days off are helping tremendously, I can’t complain about that, it’s a blessing in disguise,” he said. “(It) gives me a lot more time to strengthen to make sure I’m back completely.”
His absence was one which could have been hard-felt by the Snakes, who lost fellow star import Scott Machado to injury earlier in the season, but they – thankfully, some would say – never really found out.
Since that fixture, Covid cases among the Taipans, as well as close contacts linked with the spike in the community, has meant the team has yet to take the court for a NBL game this calendar year.
That should change this Sunday, when the Taipans are scheduled to host New Zealand Breakers, though there is some uncertainty given the Breakers’ Wednesday night game against Tasmania JackJumpers was “postponed in line with the league’s Covid health and safety protocols”.
McCall simply can’t wait for the NBL to return, but he and his Taipans teammates are putting in the work to ensure they avoid injury when they return to competition.
It’s been slow-going since their return to the practice court, as the players reunite at Cairns Basketball’s Aumuller St courts to get in their reps before game day – and to blow out the cobwebs courtesy of their gap in games, which might be a good thing according to McCall.
“Hopefully we have enough days between the games to get the rust off,” he said. “It’s kinda good.
“You get a chance to miss what you’ve been doing, working together. So when you get back together, the juice is high, the adrenaline is pumping because something has been taken away from you, and you don’t like that feeling because you’re eager to get back out there.
“We’re anxious and ready to go.”
TAIPANS FACE DAUNTING SCHEDULE
THE Taipans will have a herculean task ahead of them after the NBL dropped a revamped schedule for rounds 8 to 11.
The NBL revealed to News Corp that 16 games will be played in 10 days after Covid tore up the original fixture, with multiple outbreaks across the league.
Many of Cairns’ games will be against opponents they were set to face earlier in the season, however the majority of the matches will now be played away from the Cairns Convention Centre.
The Taipans will start their seven-game haul against the Breakers on January 23 at the Snake Pit after missing them at New Year’s Eve.
They then face a gauntlet of teams with finals aspirations, including the Illawarra Hawks twice, the Perth Wildcats, the South East Melbourne Phoenix and the Sydney Kings.
After injuries bombarded the Taipans early in the season, the break has given players a chance to heal.
One player who looks to be back after rolling his ankle is super star guard Tahjere McCall, who was seen on social media dancing upon his return to practice on Friday.
Taipans draw (Rounds 8-11)
Jan 23 v Breakers, Jan 25 at Pheonix, Jan 29 v Hawks, Feb 3 at 36ers, Feb 6 at Kings, Feb 10 at Wildcats, Feb 12 at Hawks
Covid claims third Taipans’ clash
CAIRNS Taipans are facing more than three weeks off the court after Saturday’s clash with Melbourne United was postponed.
Further positive test results from team members, as well as several close contacts forced into home isolation, has decimated the playing ranks to the point they do not have enough men to take the floor.
Taipans coach Adam Forde spoke to media before the NBL’s decision to rework Round 7 and postpone the Cairns Convention Centre clash, and at that stage was planning for both scenarios.
But, had the game proceeded as scheduled, Forde may not have known who he had available until 48 hours before tip-off.
“We’ve got quite a significant portion of the team in home isolation at the moment,” Forde said.
“We’ll be able to reassess where these guys are at in coming days, and from there, depending on how the test results come out on Thursday and who’s available, how we prepare …”
Forde said the key was knowing just what physical state the players were in, and to ensure they were protected from injury when they returned to action.
“The main thing is with these guys coming back from quarantine period, we want to make sure we minimise the risk of injury,” he said.
“With the seven day isolation, coming off a fever, fatigue … and all the things that Covid brings, it can put you in a high-risk factor for acute injury.
“We can’t really do anything until we assess these guys in person. Once we finish our seven days in quarantine, we’ll start to see the players individually and go from there.”
The NBL has scheduled seven games over seven days, starting with bitter rivals Illawarra and Sydney facing off for the first time since their on-court dust up on December 11, which resulted in four players being slapped with hefty fines.
The Taipans have not played since the 84-78 loss to Perth Wildcats in their traditional New Year’s Eve fixture.
The club’s next game will be on January 23, when they host the Bullets in the Sunshine Stoush at the Cairns Convention Centre.
Cairns’ clash with Kings canned
Covid has finally crept into the Cairns Taipans organisation, resulting in the postponement of two upcoming home games.
The team confirmed on Thursday afternoon that it received positive test results from within the squad, who will isolate for the next seven days.
With other players deemed close contacts, and other players injured, the Taipans cannot physically field a team.
This comes after January 8 opponent – the South East Melbourne Phoenix, had to be swapped out for the Sydney Kings due to the former having cases.
Further to the Covid-induced chaos, the January 11 game between the Taipans and the Brisbane Bullets at the Snake Pit has also been postponed.
This is the second game between the two to be postponed due to the pandemic.
“This is the world we are living in right now, and we knew at some point during the season we would be impacted,” Taipans chief executive Mike Beecroft said.
“We must be prepared to be flexible and put health and safety as the top priority for not just our playing group, but all our patrons.
“It’s a shame to reschedule these games, but they will be played at a later date and I’m sure our fans and sponsors will understand and accommodate that.”
EARLIER
The Taipans’ upcoming match against the South East Melbourne Phoenix has been postponed due to Covid, the Phoenix have confirmed.
The Taipans will now play the Sydney Kings at the Cairns Convention Centre on Saturday.
South East Melbourne will not play their next match against the Tasmania JackJumpers either, due to positive tests and close contacts within the team’s performance staff.
“The health and safety of our players and staff is the most important thing as we all work our way trying to find a way to live with Covid,” Phoenix chief executive Tommy Greer said.
The Taipans will play the Phoenix at a later date as the NBL schedule continues to be shaken up by the pandemic.
This is the Taipans third postponed game of a possible seven games of the NBL22 season.
Games against the Brisbane Bullets and Illawarra Hawks were also postponed, as well as a Covid-influenced change in New Years opponent from the New Zealand Breakers to the Perth Wildcats.
Injury bug, Covid continue to run riot on Taipans’ NBL22 season
The Taipans are running on fumes but are continuing to play a hard brand of basketball as they grapple with mounting injuries and Covid.
The team lost arguably the best defensive player in the league in Tahjere McCall just hours before taking on the Perth Wildcats at the Cairns Convention Centre; a game they lost 84-78.
The Taipans said the 27-year-old slipped during practice and hyperextended his knee with initial assessments showing no major damage.
This latest blow comes with the Taipans already grappling from injuries to Mirko Djeric and marquee shooter Scott Machado.
Head coach Adam Forde said the team had players quarantining as well during the final week of 2021 after being casual Covid contacts.
Despite all this, Forde kept his chin up about the state of the team as they weather the storm.
“Everybody we’re missing in our line up is a massive loss, and it changed the way we wanted to defend,” he said after the game against Perth.
“Bul (Kuol) – I threw him in there against the best player in the league, there’s a reason Bryce Cotton earns the dollars he does.”
A moral victory
Undermanned against the Wildcats, the Taipans kept pace to bring the game down to the wire.
In what’s become a staple for the Snakes’ NBL22 campaign, the team started hot finishing the first quarter with a 25-11 lead.
However, against NBL21 MVP Cotton (29 points, 6 assists) and fellow Wildcat shooting talent Vic Law (17 points, 6 rebounds), the Taipans were slowly exhausted as the game drew on.
Not usually the type for post-game chats, Forde said he stopped the team after the loss to tell them how proud he was of them given all the adversity they faced.
“We made some errors, there were also a lot of things we spliced in short notice to junk it up knowing we had Tahjere out,” he said.
“A couple of times we missed switching up on Cotton and Law – he had a couple of uncontested threes which hurt us.
“They gave me everything, how can you be upset about that?”
Deng dynasty
Despite losing the game, the Taipans continue to get the best out of forward Majok Deng.
The 28-year-old was moved to the small forward spot on the court against the Wildcats, balling his way to another career-high game with 27 points and 7 rebounds.
This comes after his last game versus the Adelaide 36ers, in which he scored 23 points.
“We’re riding that momentum at the moment, his confidence is high and we want to try and get him the ball,” Forde said.
“With all the players we got out, the opportunities there for him and he’s grasped it with both hands and I’m super happy for him.”
Covid scare
Taipans veteran Jarrod Kenny was one player to be marked as a casual contact before the Wildcats game.
After a brief quarantine, and negative tests, Kenny was cleared to play.
“Once you get that message saying you need to go get that test, it throws you a little bit,” the 36-year-old said.
“Then you’re stuck in your apartment trying to prepare for a game, keep the body active and moving and not knowing whether you have Covid or not.
“It’s just the times we’re living in, you’ve just got to adapt.
“For me, at this stage of my career, it was nice to have two days off the legs [and] Fordey not shouting at me.”
Taipans lose key player ahead of NYE blockbuster
THE already injury-plagued Snakes have been dealt a late blow ahead of their New Year’s Eve grudge match against the Perth Wildcats on Friday night.
CQUniversity Cairns Taipans guard Tahjere McCall will not suit up for the game at the Cairns Convention Centre after he slipped on the court and hyperextended his left knee during a shootaround.
He was due for scans on Friday afternoon however initial assessments showed no major structural damage.
McCall will join Scott Machado and Mirko Djeric on the bench.
Development player Brayden Inger will move into the active roster.
Taipans announce 11th hour injury signing of Marshall Nelson
AN 11th-hour Taipans injury signing of former West Australian guard Marshall Nelson will bolster the numbers of an injury-plagued Snakes out for redemption against the Perth Wildcats in their traditional New Year’s Eve clash on Friday night.
On Thursday, the Snakes announced the temporary signing of Nelson as an injury replacement for Scott Machado, who has been sidelined since round two with a heel complaint.
The 188cm Nelson recently suited up for the Perth Redbacks in the NBL1 West, where he averaged 20.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists across the 2021 season.
Taipans coach Adam Forde, who hails from the west himself, said he had followed Nelson’s career.
The 27-year-old has been on the Snakes’ radar for some time and joins the team as a combination guard with an ability to score, Forde said.
“Having Marshall is good,” he said. “He has had two practice sessions and I plan on playing him on (Friday) night. Hopefully he can knock down a couple of threes for us.
“And also show the league what he is capable of doing. He has had opportunity at Illawarra and has played overseas since then. He has played in Iceland and he’s eager to get back into the NBL.
“I know what he is capable of doing on the practice floor (but) obviously it’s a different factor when you are playing games.
“He has a clearly defined role of what he needs to be doing out there for us and he’s good for it.”
Friday night’s match-up will be the first time the Taipans have hit the court in two weeks amid Covid chaos that at one point had the Snakes pitted against the New Zealand Breakers and the Sydney Kings.
Forde said the team had “evolved” to turn around weaknesses in rebound play and turnovers that were exposed in the last Wildcats encounter, when they suffered a 23-point loss.
“We have got better each week and started to hit some KPIs to really hone in on,’’ he said. “And now we have a chance at a little bit of redemption.”
Fresh from the west, Nelson said he was excited to be hitting the court.
“(Training) has been good,” he said. “I have been a little bit unfit but other than that it has been pretty good.
“I’m making my shots and the guys have made me feel welcome.”
Nelson will suit up in the New Year’s Eve game against the Wildcats at the Cairns Convention Centre from 7pm.
Former Taipan Oliver signed to NBA team on Covid ‘hardship’ deal
Former Taipans star Cam Oliver has taken another turn in his stint in the NBA, signing with the Atlanta Hawks on a 10-day hardship contract, according to The Athletic.
The Hawks have 10 players in COVID-19 protocol after contracting the virus, leading to them signing the human highlight reel.
Prior to that, Oliver had put together a hefty resume at the Los Angeles Lakers’ G-League affiliate – the South Bay Lakers.
With South Bay, the forward averaged 14.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 27.8 minutes per game across 14 games.
Oliver got his time in the LA limelight after an impressive 10-day, four -game tenure he had with the Houston Rockets last NBA season.
With the Taipans, Oliver averaged more than 17 points, 9.5 rebounds and more than a block a game in NBL21.
While an integral piece of the Taipans outfit, Oliver and the team mutually parted ways in September to allow him to pursue his NBA dreams.
Taipans announce new opponent for New Year blockbuster bout
The Taipans have been thrown another curve ball as Covid continues to wreak havoc on the NBL schedule.
After initially being scheduled to play the New Zealand Breakers on New Year’s Eve, the Snakes will welcome the Perth Wildcats to town.
The change in schedule will make for an interesting match for the 2-1 Taipans, with the Breakers winless at the bottom of the ladder and the Wildcats on top at 4-1.
The Taipans said the schedule change was due to the NBL following government and health authorities’ advice regarding Covid health and safety protocols.
This will be the second match the between Perth and Cairns, with the two sides’ meeting in round one resulting in a 23-point spanking from the former.
The game will still be played at 7pm Queensland time.
The news comes after the pandemic caused the postponement of Taipans games against the Brisbane Bullets on Boxing Day and the Illawarra Hawks on January 2 due to positive cases for the latter.
Taipans ‘number one team’ in heart of Bullet Wigness
While former Cairns basketballer Tamuri Wigness might have had a Taipans jersey on his Christmas list as a kid, he’ll be staring down his childhood team come Boxing Day on behalf of the Brisbane Bullets.
Wigness – Cairns born and raised – is certainly no stranger to the Taipans franchise, having trained with them prior to the NBL21 season.
However, playing for his dream team was not meant to be, as the 19-year-old was picked up by intrastate rivals Brisbane.
“The Taipans were definitely my number one team in my heart when I was growing up,” Wigness said.
“When I pictured playing in the NBL, I pictured playing in the Cairns Convention Centre with the Taipans.”
Nonetheless, Wigness stands by his decision to head south, saying his time in Brisbane has helped him work on his craft.
“I’m not the type of person who looks back and says ‘I should have made a different decision’,” he said.
“I obide by the decisions I made.”
Wigness did not cut ties with his Far North brethren, however, maintaining a bond with Bamaga baller Nate Jawai.
“Me and Nate have a really close bond – he’s one of my mentors when it comes to the game,” he said.
“I’m always super grateful to work with Nate … keeping in contact and he’s checking up on where I’m at and if I need help with mentoring off and on the court.”
Bragging rights on the line
The Bullets dominated the Taipans last season, winning all four games.
With both Cairns and Brisbane coming of huge wins against Adelaide and Illawarra respectively, Sunday’s game will be see two teams looking to their best players to maintain their success.
For the Taipans, this includes centre Stephen Zimmerman, who leads the league in average rebounds with 11.67 per game.
“That’s something I come into seasons ready to do – rebound,” he said.
“Trying to average double digit rebounds is important for me.”
The Taipans have gotten used to playing a hard, defensive ball game through three rounds of the NBL.
Zimmerman expected nothing less this weekend for the usually feisty Queensland rivalry game.
“I’m expecting it to be physical, we’re going in there ready to get after and be dogs defensively,” he said.
‘They still do the same sh*t’: Jawai fed up with getting fouled
Taipans tall Nate Jawai is over opposing players doing the same “sh*t” and being used as a punching bag for easy fouls.
The Bamaga big has averaged a foul every three minutes across 30 minutes of play during NBL22.
Coach Adam Forde said after the team’s round two win against the Jack Jumpers that Jawai was ‘under a microscope’ by opposing players and refs when it came to being aggressive in the paint.
“I can’t be physical in this league today but I can get pushed around,” Jawai said.
“As soon as I ramp it up, I get penalised so it’s something to adjust on.”
The 17-year veteran has certainly played his share of ball, and appears over being tested by players and having the fouls explained to him by officials.
“I don’t really want to know who they are and talk to the referees anymore on what I need to work on,” Jawai said.
“They expect to have a conversation with you and they still do the same sh*t.”
Forde said it was a case of “old dogs, new tricks” when it came to Jawai, adding his 209cm tall centre was working hard to play his less foul friendly type of basketball.
“Nate – in 12 minutes – had six points, four assists and three rebounds – dominant,” Forde said.
“But there was a foul, and he was looking to me, and even I was on the sideline being like ‘c’mon Nate, that was a foul’.
“To his credit, at his age, the fact he’s still working on himself for the betterment of the team is great.
“If I can turn that 12 minutes into 15 or 16, hopefully that translates into nine points, more assists and five rebounds with a couple of stops on the other end.”
Jawai, 35, admitted making the transition to fewer fouls would be difficult, but not impossible.
“I’m an emotional guy and I feel like I’m getting hard done by,” he said.
“I get handy, it’s just the nature of who I am – I need to do a better job of controlling that.”
Feels like home
Jawai, like other seasoned Snakes, said being back and playing at the Cairns Convention Centre made for a “huge“ home field advantage en route to their two-game win streak.
“Last year in Bunnings it was a different environment, we thought we’d be okay there but we didn’t realise how much the convention centre meant,” he said.
“I’ve played all over the world and there’s nothing like the Cairns Convention Centre.”
Jawai added how proud he was of teammate and friend Majok Deng with his performance in the team’s win against the Adelaide 36ers in which he posted a career-high 23 points.
“When he came to Cairns, I was so happy,” Jawai said.
“I told him he needs to be more aggressive … he is a major role in the team.
“Him stepping up, getting that confidence is really good … I think he’s going to be even better soon.”
The Taipans will play the Brisbane Bullets on Boxing Day.
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Originally published as NBL 2021: Taipans game against New Zealand Breakers postponed
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