Taipans prep for a Boxing Day test against Brisbane Bullets
They may have won two games in a row, but the Taipans aren’t resting on their laurels ahead of a massive clash with Brisbane on Boxing Day >>>
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The Taipans are coming off the high of winning two in a row, but coach Adam Forde isn’t ready to ring the Christmas bells just yet.
The Snake’s latest victory came in the form of a 26-point dismantling of the Adelaide 36ers at the Cairns Convention Centre in round three.
Despite the win, Forde said there were plenty of things to work on – especially if the Snakes are to defeat another team flying high: the Brisbane Bullets who took down top team Illawarra Hawks.
“We got outscored 18-4 in the last seven minutes because we turned off – championship winning teams don’t turn it off,” Forde said.
While the Snakes have won two straight, the team continues to battle the injury bug.
Both development player Brayden Inger and Jordan Ngatai’s recoveries are “progressing well” according to Forde.
However, return to action dates for both Mirko Djeric and star point guard Scott Machado remain less clear.
Forde said the key to continuing success in spite of injuries was focussing on consistency in what can be controlled.
“You try and keep your consistency with the prep rolling into it,” he said.
“The way we prepare for it on game day will be the same, it just happens to be a different venue.
“Some of the guys are taking family with them as well, maybe that’ll make it feel more like home than on the road.
“It’s a two-hour flight down the road, we’ll just try to keep it as consistent as possible and try and get some wins on the road.”
One Taipans player whose defensive prowess continues to garnish praise is Bul Kuol, who will keep his spot on the starting five this week against the Bullets.
“He shot 3 from 12, and the reason he’s staying out there is because of how he played defensively,” Forde said.
Another player who impressed in his limited exposure was training partner Robbie Heath, who most recently played ball in the NBL1 South for the Diamond Valley Eagles.
Heath played a little more than three minutes, went 0-1 in the field and drew a foul.
“He’s still finding his way, he’s an ambitious and enthusiastic young man and it was great that his first possession was a charge,” Forde said.
“These were the things we were harping on about all week, there was the one percenters and the effort.
“Once we figure him out more, he’ll be a nice little addition.
“For now, we’re not trying to throw him in the deep end, we want him to grow in confidence and we’ll do that at a nice, steady pace.”
Career night for Deng has Taipans trouncing 36ers
The Cairns Taipans put together a showcase of dominance on both sides of the court against the Adelaide 36ers to win 93-67, marking their ninth victory in a row at the Snake Pit.
In front of a hungry home crowd – and without star Scott Machado – Tahjere McCall, Majok Deng and Stephen Zimmerman stood tall to prove the now 2-1 team were no pushovers.
“This is the identity we’ve been trying to build and started with in August with the guys we brought in,” Taipans head coach Adam Forde said.
“Our identity as a collective is trying to make sure that it’s not going to be just one or two individuals that get it done.
“The majority of the season is going to be won and lost on how the team plays.”
The Taipans put the foot down early pressure-wise on the 36ers, generating seven turnovers while only committing one in the first quarter.
Deng demolition derby
After promising plenty of points in the lead-up to the game, Deng did not disappoint.
The former 36er sunk an impressive 23 points – a career high, going 5-7 from three.
“We’ve been trying to get him going for a while,” Forde said.
“I think out of all of all our players in our playbook, he has the most audiles for him.
“I had scheduled for him to come out at some point in the third, just for a bit of respite, but you know he was killing it.
“Jokey’s cooking so no, we leave him out there.”
Taipans highlight generator McCall also continued to build his portfolio as a player to watch for NBL22.
The 27-year-old finished with 13 points and nine assists, darting from coast to coast and making an impact on every possession.
Even when McCall wasn’t on the court, the Taipans managed to maintain the aggression defensively to make the 36ers work for every single point.
Defensively, Taipans tall Zimmerman imposed his will on skittish 36ers attacks.
Offensively, the centre showed poise at the post, finishing up with 18, nine rebounds and only two turnovers.
Silent night for 36ers
Adelaide’s Daniel Johnson continued his tradition of quality play at the Snake Pit, tallying 12 points.
Teammate Dusty Hannahs also built on his early season hot streak, ending with 22 points.
Outside of that, there was little to celebrate as the Taipans attacked every 36ers possession and pinched many a loose ball to run up the scoreboard.
Former Taipan Tad Dufelmeier could only scrounge together four points while fellow former Snakes Mojave King and Hryum Harris went 0-8 from the field in 20 minutes of total play.
Adelaide forward Todd Withers (8 points) commended the crowd at the convention centre for making playing conditions hard for the visitors.
“The fans were really rowdy – it was fun,” he said.
“I enjoy crowds like that who get after their opponents … it was a fun crowd to me honestly.
‘The Cairns team energy definitely matched their crowd energy, they really got behind them.’
The Taipans will travel to Brisbane for a Boxing Day bout with the Bullets, while the 36ers will return home to face the Perth Wildcats for round four.
Taipans on the hunt for Machado replacement, Kuol to start v 36ers
Rather than panic, Taipans head coach Adam Forde is relishing the opportunity to be without star player Scott Machado three weeks into the season.
Machado will be out 4-6 weeks after sustaining a heel injury against the Tasmania JackJumpers in round two.
“That’s just what it is – the game of basketball, it’s part of the sport,” Machado said.
“Obviously you want to be out there with your guys, but it’s a next man up situation.
“As long as they continue to play as they’re playing and stay focussed and concentrated I think they’re gonna be set.”
Machado had a similar injury to his left foot in his first year as a Snake; he’ll give the injury some rest before undergoing rehab.
Without Machado, and possibly bench players Mirko Djeric and Jordan Ngatai, Forde said bringing in replacement players was not off the team’s radar.
“It’s definitely a possibility, one thing we’re conscious of is that we don’t want to rush it,” he said.
“It’s the same recruitment process in the sense of bringing the right guys in … we want to make sure we pick the guy, whether a local or an import, that’s going to continue to complement the group.
“You don’t want to go about it like a bandaid solution, [a] potential replacement is bringing in a younger player who we can invest in for the next six weeks.”
Forde said he still was not in a rush to bring back neither Ngatai nor Djeric, less they risk re-injury.
Taking on the Adelaide 36ers at the Cairns Convention Centre on Saturday, Forde said he was eager to try out new schemes and field test newer players, such as Bul Kuol who’ll start in Machado’s absence.
“I think Bul played about 16-17 minutes last weekend, he did a great job defensively,” Forde said.
“Based off his performance last week, he’s gonna start for us tomorrow and get the job of pressuring their point guard.”
The Taipans will tip-off against the 36ers in the Snake Pit at 7pm.
While high-scoring hadn’t been in the Taipans’ wheelhouse so far this season, Forde said he “liked ugly” games.
“For us, we’re not going to be a team that’s gonna put up 100 points,” he said.
“We’ll have a night where we’ll come out and shoot 50 per cent from three, 100 per cent from the foul line and finish all our lay-ups.
“I’m definitely building towards [that], but it’s not going to be the identity that determines whether we’re successful or not.
“If we can keep the scoreline in the 70s and 80s, it’s going to be more beneficial for us.”
Taipans confirm injury blow for star Scott Machado
Cairns Taipans point guard Scott Machado could be sidelined until late January after he suffered a heel injury in the side’s 69-62 win over Tasmania.
The star import left the court just six minutes into the Taipans’ second game of the season, after he came down awkwardly on his left heel following a shot attempt in the first quarter.
Machado went straight to the bench following the incident and was rested for the remainder of the game as a precaution.
However, further scans have revealed an irritation to the base of his Achilles tendon, which will keep the former NBL MVP runner-up sidelined for between four to six weeks.
The Taipans are hopeful to have Machado return to the line-up by the end of next month, and could be without their star guard for at least eight games.
Cairns will host Adelaide at the Cairns Convention Centre on Saturday night.
Tip-off is at 7pm.
Scott Machado’s status still unclear, further scans needed
The Taipans are bracing for life without star import Scott Machado for round three of NBL22, with the full extent of the import point guard’s injury still unclear.
Cairns’ on-court general was sidelined just six minutes into their win against the Tasmania JackJumpers after sustaining a heel injury.
A Taipans statement said that as a result of “effusion in the affected heel region”, scans on Monday proved inclusive.
The Snakes star will undergo scans in the next few days, when swelling goes down, casting doubt on his availability for Saturday’s clash with Adelaide.
“For now, we’ll be preparing to play without him,” said coach Adam Forde.
“But it will be a matter of seeing what those next round of scans looks like to see what our actual timeline is.”
Forde could not say whether the swelling was an indicator of how badly Machado injured his heel.
“I rely on that information from the experts, I’ll ask them next time I chat to them for an answer on that one,” he said.
Mirko Djeric and Jordan Ngatai did not play against the JackJumpers after having dealt with injuries in weeks prior, and Forde is not yet ready to give them the green light for this weekend’s clash with the 36ers either.
“It’ll be a case of getting them up fitness wise and load management wise and making sure we’re not bringing them in too early … and risk further injury,” he said.
“They’ll be day-to-day and case-by-case scenarios, but again it’s important we don’t rush these guys back this early in the season.”
Against the JackJumpers, the Taipans made do with the remainder of their under-pressure roster to pinch a seven point win, led by a statement performance from import guard Tahjere McCall.
McCall put up an impressive stat line of 20 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots.
Despite the mounting injury list, Forde still boasted an optimistic outlook.
“I think it’s great,” he said.
“It’s a great opportunity to say ‘you’ve got an opportunity here and what’s the worst that’s gonna happen? I’m gonna sub you out? Who m I gonna sub you out for?’.
“I’m always excited by it, it gives me a bit more fun to work with implementing some different schemes.
“I hope my enthusiasm is on par with how the boys are enthusiastic at the opportunity to do more.”
As well as McCall, Bul Kuol and Jarrod Kenny impressed Forde in their extended minutes against the JackJumpers – a game which brought more than 4000 fans back to the Cairns Convention Centre for the first time in 650 days.
Forde hoped the side’s first victory of the NBL22 season would spur on more of the Orange Army to venture to the Snake Pit this Saturday to watch them tackle the 36ers.
“One thing I’ve been able to appreciate in coming here to Cairns is that people love hard work – to see the hustle and the effort,” Forde said.
“There were multiple examples in film review where guys showed that exact ethic and desire to try and out-hustle and work the opposition.
“I know I appreciate it, I hope the fans appreciate it and hopefully they come out and support us again this weekend.”
Fouls, league putting Nate ‘under a microscope’: Forde
Taipans head coach Adam Ford has questioned just how much star centre Nate Jawai is ‘under a microscope’ from officials and opposing teams after the Bamaga big man was almost fouled out of the Snakes’ win against the JackJumpers.
There’s no denying the on-court presence the 209cm big has as one of the more reliable facets of Taipans’ games from the past five seasons.
But Forde said he plans to work with Jawai to limit the unwanted attention the coach claims he gets from officials in order reduce his foul count.
Through the previous three seasons, Jawai tallied 213 fouls at a rate of .14 per minute on the court.
In two rounds of NBL22, he’s clocked about .4 fouls per minute, or a foul every three minutes.
“Nate is under a microscope so this is us having to adjust,” Forde said.
“You can be 6’5, [a] role player on the opposition from the other team and you’re not under the same microscope because you’re not 6’10, 140 kilos and command the presence that Nate has.”
In the Taipans’ seven-point win against the Tasmania JackJumpers, Jawai’s elbow movement got him in trouble early with fouls on Tassie tall Jock Perry and Jarred Bairstow.
Later in the game, Jawai was visibly frustrated after drawing two offensive fouls in one minute from contact with Will Magnay at the post and for blocking Sam Adams.
“It’s us having to adjust where we contest the boundaries and screens,” Forde said.
“I’ve done it my entire career where I’m quite happy when you’re able to assess some rub screens and test the boundaries of what’s legal and what’s illegal.
“It’s like speeding, you get away with more than what you get caught.”
Forde said the shifts in playstyle have been welcomed by Jawai, a renowned team player.
“Nate is aware of it, he’s all on board with it and there’ll be a transition period where we keep him in the game, keep the refs happy and continue to be that dominant force,” Forde said.
“We’re talking about 15 or 17 years of being a professional athlete doing it a certain way, I’ve gotta highlight Nate’s been very coachable and he’s received it well.
“He’s an emotional guy, I think we all are so we’ll get there and when we do, watch out.”
The Taipans will take on the Adelaide 36ers on Saturday at the Cairns Convention Centre.
Taipans nervously await star player’s scan results after win
TAIPANS officials – and the franchise’s dedicated fans – are awaiting the results of scans to star import Scott Machado’s left ankle after he left the court just six minutes into Saturday night’s 69-62 win against Tasmania JackJumpers.
The NBL19 MVP runner-up and on-court general came down awkwardly on his heel after a shot attempt, and went straight to the bench.
Snakes head coach Adam Forde said his injury didn’t appear ‘overly severe’ initially, with an update expected to be given on Monday.
The loss of Machado would be devastating for the Taipans, who already have a crowded casualty ward just two games into the campaign.
While they suited up for the game, the first at the Cairns Convention Centre, neither forward Jordan Ngatai nor guard Mirko Djeric played any minutes, having dealt with injuries after round one.
Both were cleared to suit and joined their teammates on the bench, but Forde said he didn’t see an “appropriate time” to put them on court.
“It didn’t feel like there was an appropriate time to inject them into the game,” Forde said.
“That’s where we’re pretty much at with that, so we’ll keep bringing them back to that game conditioning.
“It was one of those instances where it was good to have them as an option, there just wasn’t an appropriate time to put them in.”
With development player Brayden Inger out with a rolled ankle as well, the Taipans depth has taken a beating.
The rest of the Taipans’ starting five played more than 30 minutes each against the JackJumpers.
The Taipans overcame the JackJumpers 69-62 at the Cairns Convention Centre, marking the team’s first win of the season and first victory for Forde as coach of the Snakes.
Back-up point guard Jarrod Kenny stepped up in Machado’s absence, playing 26 minutes and scoring eight points with five rebounds.
“We actually asked him to shoot some threes at some point, I didn’t care just shoot ‘em and he splashed some big ones at right times for us,” Forde said.
“In the end, I can go through this list and praise every single one on this roster because I’m so proud of them.”
McCall dazzles as Taipans snag win in Snake Pit
Scott Machado went down early with an injury, but star import Tahjere McCall blew the lid off the Cairns Convention Centre for the first Taipans win for the season.
It was a low scoring match from both the Cairns and the Tasmania JackJumpers that ended with Cairns finishing on top, winning 69-62.
Neither side was perfect offensively, but the Taipans did enough in the second half to stifle Tasmania and give fans a show for the first game at the Snake Pit in 650 days.
The turnover generation for Cairns showed much-needed improvement, however the side still had trouble had finishing off at the rim.
The side did show bursts of aggressive attacks throughout the game, led by clutch import Tahjere McCall.
“We went down into the change room … Tahj said it perfectly – it’s not about x’s and o’s, it’s just about playing ball,” Taipans coach Adam Forde said after getting his first win as a Taipan.
“It’s really just an inspiring effort, the guys showed some heart and that’s all you can really ask for.”
McCall continued to impress in his first NBL stint – the early defensive player of the year candidate netted 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
“My teammates, the coaches, this city – they deserve a team that can compete,” he said.
“You see the fans … it was outstanding.”
But defensively, Cairns had a hard time generating pressure on Tasmania, particularly smalls Josh Magette (19 points, nine rebounds) and Josh Adams (nine points).
After a six-point second quarter, the Taipans turned up the heat and the steals, managing to pressure Tasmania in transition and pinch a few points.
Kouat Noi started to look like the player Cairns fans hoped he would be, scoring 17 points from a number of angles – something he struggled with in the Blitz.
Taipans Jordan Ngatai, Brayden Inger and Mirko Djeric did not play due to injuries.
Forde was optimistic Machado’s injury was not serious.
“We won’t jump ahead of ourselves too soon,” Forde said.
“Right now, it’s about getting some scans in … the initial assessment is that it’s not overly severe, which is good knock on wood.”
Long distance relationship
The Taipans had a hard time with the three ball against the JackJumpers, much like their game against Perth in round one.
Cairns ended the game shooting a subpar 5-21 from a distance, plaguing their offensive as a whole and making it too one-dimensional at times.
Scoring woes
Despite quality games from Magette, Adams and Clint Steindl (13 points), the JackJumpers had a hard time scoring.
Outside of those three players, the JackJumpers only scored 21 points.
Overall, the team had a tough night in the paint, shooting a less than ideal 24-76 from the field.
The Taipans will play the 36ers next Saturday in Cairns, while the JackJumpers will head to Perth to face the Wildcats.
‘Long time between drinks’: Taipans soaking up revamped home
It’s been a long time since the Taipans played with a proper home court advantage in the Cairns Convention Centre.
The last time they played there? A 22-point semi-final win against NBL20 champions the Perth Wildcats; a game in which former Taipan star Cam Oliver netted a team-high 22 points.
However – after 650 long days – the team will finally be welcomed back to the Snake Pit for their home opener against Tasmania on Saturday night.
After playing in hubs and the Bunnings warehouse for NBL21, playing in a revamped arena will complete Cairns’ revitalisation with new head coach Adam Forde and a new look roster.
Forde said even though it will be first time helming the Taipansin the Far North, it would be great to finally be able to be back in front of fans in the team’s true home.
“There were games in the hub where, unless you were playing against a Victorian team … there were a couple of hundred people in the stands,” he said.
“To be able to reconnect with the community and the fanbase and have people here wearing orange … to feel that atmosphere, it almost feels like a long time between drinks so we’re really revved up for it.”
After posting a 8-28 season last year, Forde said the value of home court for the Taipans will be fully realised through the return to the Convention Centre.
“Every team that’s got home court advantage has the winning on their side when it comes to finals.” he said.
“So during the regular season, it’s important that we’re here, we protect the court, do our job and make it a it place where teams are intimidated or unprepared to come into.”
Taipans guard Jarrod Kenny was one player on court at the Convention Centre in 2020.
He said players new and old were keen to hear the cheers from the Orange Army.
“That was something we were missing a bit last year so hopefully being back in there will give us the sixth man on court,” he said.
After losing their first game of the season against Perth, the Taipans will face off against a JackJumpers team who fell short against the 36ers in Hobart this week.
Against another Wildcats alum in Tasmania coach Scott Roth, Forde commended the JackJumpers’ ability to work cohesively as a unit given it is their inaugural season.
As for the Taipans’ own cohesion, he said turnovers continued to be a sticking point for the team to fix early this season.
“It’s frustrating, it really is,” he said.
“All we can keep doing it trusting the process. We’re putting drills in place, we’re trying to do things to entice the chaos, trying to heighten the anxiety and value the ball a bit more,” Forde said.
“It’s also back on the individual – there’s only so many x’s and o’s and video sessions you can do before you just say ‘look, stop turning it over’.
“Until we can really address that, it’s going to be an issue.”
Taipan tall Stephen Zimmerman said security on the rebound was something he wanted to work on to mitigate the turnover issue.
“I think trying to lock in on that and secure as many possessions as we can for ourselves, every practice that we have is locked in on rebounding mostly, taking care of the ball is another big one,” he said.
The Taipans will tip off against the JackJumpers at 7pm.
Machado backed to overcome slow start
TAIPANS star Scott Machado has been backed to overcome his forgettable first-round shooting slump ahead of the Snakes’ return to their true home court on Saturday.
Machado was ice cold in the heavy loss to Perth, landing just 1-from-12 from the field in potentially his worst shooting performances in the NBL since arriving in NBL20.
That was the year Machado finished as runner-up in the race for the Most Valuable Player award, behind Perth’s Bryce Cotton, and it’s not as if that talent has just upped and disappeared.
Machado sensationally took the blame for the club’s season-opening loss, after he ended the night shooting just one from 12 on the field with two rebounds and six assists, and fouled out late in the fourth quarter.
“That was on me,” he said.
“Credit to them (Wildcats), but most of that was me. I was missing shots, I couldn’t throw a rock in the ocean, and I take the blame for that sure.”
Back-up point guard Jarrod Kenny said the loss could not be pinned on Machado, who he said did everything well except shooting.
“I don’t think we can put that result on him,” Kenny said. “He didn’t shoot the ball well, but that was it.
“He still ran the team, his defence was awesome. He knows the player he can be, we know what he can do. I think it was a one-off game.
“I'm not worried about him, his confidence or his headspace.”
Taipans assistant coach Kerry Williams said the point guard would bounce back.
“Oh yeah, he’s a top two point guard in the league,” Williams said. “He’s putting in the work, so it’ll change, and we all have faith in him.”
Kenny was busy on defence in Perth, finishing with just one assist, one steal and a turnover in his 16 minutes on the court.
The New Zealander said the playing group, who were back on court for practice just 12 hours after landing from Perth, entered the first-round contest with confidence, but had plenty to work on.
“It was a bit disappointing in the way we didn’t get the result over there,” Kenny said. “We were pretty positive heading in. There were a few positives to take from it.
“We’re still trending in the right direction, but obviously two or three big learnings that we have to work on this week heading into the big game this weekend.”
He credited the Wildcats for their intensity on defence, but said landing just a few more shots could have made all the difference.
“They (Wildcats) alway come in and pack it in the paint, making sure that we get shots on the outside,” Machado said.
“I feel like if we hit a couple of those three-pointers, they don’t pack it in as much.
“I take accountability for some of those shots that were open.
“Most importantly, I think it changes the game if we get to hit a few of those threes, then they’re not as packed in the paint and there aren’t as many turnovers.”
After the pre-season, Cairns coach Adam Forde mentioned Machado among a number of players he had “good conversations” with about getting back into winning form.
“We’ve just got to try and find ways we can get scores,” he said on Sunday.
“This is a bit on me too – I think we were a little bit too blocked up in the key way, we’ve got to find guys on cuts, moves and get them shots where they can get comfortable taking them.
“Once we’ve unlocked that piece, it’ll help free it up a little bit more on the offensive end.”
The Snakes return to the Cairns Convention Centre this Saturday when they host league newcomers Tasmania JackJumpers.
MATCH WRAP: NO STOPPING FINE COTTON
There was simply no stopping Bryce Cotton as the Perth Wildcats trounced Cairns Taipans 90-67 to complete a perfect opening weekend at RAC Arena.
In front of their former head coach Mike Kelly – now the Wildcats’ associate head coach – Cairns got off to a hot start but lost steam as missed shots and turnovers buried the visitors.
The Taipans generated turnovers courtesy of an aggressive game from Tahjere McCall, but they again failed to protect their own ball, allowing 20 turnovers while getting just 11 of their own.
McCall (16 points, 8 rebounds) got his quest for the Defensive Player of the Year award off in style against tough competition, sticking to scoring juggernaut Vic Law like glue and restricting the import who went off for 37 points in Perth’s season opening win against the 36ers on Friday night.
But when McCall was off the court, the Taipans noticeably dipped on the defensive end, allowing Cotton to do what he does best.
“One thing we’re conscious of is this is a marathon, not a sprint,” Taipans head coach Adam Forde said.
“There’s things we’re doing differently, things we’re changing up on a weekly basis.
“We’ve got clear language in what we consider disruptive and what we’re comfortable in, so we’ll just continue to trend in that direction, it’s not going to happen overnight.”
The NBL20 MVP dropped 31 points on Cairns, with six from deep (at 35 per cent) as they clamoured to keep pace.
Forde said between Law and Cotton, coverage was a tall order in forcing constant changes ups in schemes.
“We tried throwing a few different coverages at him,” he said.
“There were a couple of times where unfortunately, whether it was second chance points of the ball getting kicked out to him … that’s more than enough for him to get going.”
Cairns regularly left both Cotton and Law on islands, allowing them free looks from three.
Sub par nights in shooting from Taipans Stephen Zimmerman at the post and Scott Machado (1-12) did little favours for the Taipans, with Machado fouled out in the fourth quarter.
Zimmerman finished with a 14-point, 14-rebound double-double.
“I couldn’t throw a rock in the ocean,” Machado said.
“I take the blame for that sure.”
Second, even a third glance
The Wildcats milked every possession for what it was worth, as the Taipans struggled to come up with the defensive rebound on many an occasion.
Perth notched second chance points against Cairns, who showed little aggression in regaining possession.
No nonsense Noi
After a lacklustre pre-season, Kouat Noi appeared to have hit his stride as a Taipan.
The 24-year -old sunk an equal career-best 15 points from three (at five from eight shooting), as he shot his way to a 17-point outing.
Noi gave up an equal team-high four turnovers but his proactiveness on offence should be cause for optimism for Cairns fans.
The Taipans host the JackJumpers in their return to the Snake Pit on Saturday night.
MVP-on-MVP candidate match up on the cards in Taipans v Wildcats
WHEN reviewing game footage of the Taipans’ winless Blitz run, one thing is certain: Tahjere McCall is the real deal.
The 27-year-old averaged 13.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in four pre-season games for Cairns.
However, the import signing admitted his turnovers and chemistry with fellow players was something he planned to improve on as the NBL22 season gets under way.
“It’s just (been) fun to see what we’ve been practising and see what works and what needs to change,” McCall said.
“(I’m) nowhere near where I need to be – there were a lot of turnovers and mishaps and I can do more on defence.
“I have to be a lot better, I know I can be a lot better, it’s a lot of work.
“But it’s good to see in the film what I need to work on and what we need to work on and how our chemistry can be better.”
A highlight-worthy move by McCall during the Blitz was his behind-the-back pass to teammates as he attacked the post.
“I think I need to stop doing those … I have to be better with the ball with those. When they don’t go well, it hurts the team a lot,” he said.
“I don’t try to do them, it just comes naturally to me. My teammates have been great, even when they don’t expect it, they do enough to bail me out.”
Despite a winless pre-season demonstrating plenty of issues for the Taipans, defensive player of the year McCall had little concern.
“The season is so long, people are supposed to have opinions and when you win or lose people will make opinions based on that,” he said.
“In-house, we know what we’re capable of and we believe, so after that, it’s kind of irrelevant, honestly.
“Of course (I want to prove the doubters wrong), that’s what I’ve been doing my whole career, my whole life.”
Taipans head coach Adam Forde had plenty of praise for both McCall and fellow import Stephen Zimmerman, who also impressed in his debut for the Snakes.
“We thought Tahj was great so I’m confident that going into the Perth game they’ll play solid minutes and they’ll be very productive,” he said.
A prime candidate for defensive player of the year, McCall will have his hands full with a tough assignment against 2021 MVP Bryce Cotton. “You’ve got to look forward to it, that’s the fun part,” McCall said.
“But you don’t shut guys like that down, especially if it’s just me … its more of a team effort.
“He’s a great player, it’s gonna be great.”
Turnover turmoil and is Bul Kuol Cairns’ Steph Curry?
THERE was plenty the Taipans showed in their winless NBL Blitz campaign that may lead some to panic.
But behind the lack of Blitz wins, there’s plenty of reasons not to write off the team before tip-off this weekend.
We’ve outlined key observations from the Taipans’ preseason – what worked, what didn’t and whether there’s cause for concern.
turnover TROUBLES
It’s no secret the Taipans’ turnover game needs serious work.
The team committed 107 turnovers, and generated just 68 of their own during the NBL Blitz, and it was an area which severely let them down last season.
Head coach Adam Forde himself voiced his displeasure at the ratio, pinning it on the entire team and their failure to value the ball.
Wayward balls in transition, poorly timed passes in the paint and a lack of protection on the stationary ball – all were present across the five preseason games for Cairns and were guaranteed momentum killers.
But the more they can calm down on offence, the fewer careless turnovers they’ll commit.
Another symptom of this turnover turmoil was scoring off them, with the Taipans cashing in on about 10 points per game from changing possessions.
Similar to protecting their own ball, coordination on the reset or getting to the post from the fast break are areas of work to improve heading into the regular season.
New MEN impress
Taipans fans can be optimistic about new signings Tahjere McCall, Stephen Zimmerman and Bul Kuol, who have all shown to be great additions.
McCall stuffed the stat sheet during the Blitz, and showed he can be a keystone player to replace Cam Oliver.
It’ll be up to the team to see how well they match McCall’s speed at the key and wily playstyle to feel the Philadelphian’s maximum impact, or whether he’ll need to temper things down to gel with his fellow Taipans.
During the preseason, Forde said he wanted Zimmerman to be a star rather than a supporting act, and so far he’s on the way there.
The centre looked unstoppable at times at the post – showing that, when supported in the paint, he can become a more confident scorer.
When Zimmerman and fellow tall Nate Jawai were on the court at the same time, the two were able to work off one another to force mismatches and allow for more poise in scoring.
Kuol showed his talents from range as he went 7-for-9 in three of four preseason games (he was 2-for-7 against the JackJumpers).
In limited minutes, the forward looked awesome from downtown, able to shake off his man and get free at crucial points in a game when the Taipans needed a score.
Kuol’s challenge now is to prove his three-point prowess wasn't a flash in the pan.
Point to prove
Scott Machado had a tough Blitz campaign in his mission to return to the MVP conversation.
The star Taipan shot just 5-25 from three and averaged 6.25 assists in four games.
The Taipans’ success largely hinges on Machado’s ability to feed the ball and coordinate attacks.
The Orange Army will hope Machado will adjust to Forde’s regimen and get into groove quickly once the season sets in and his preseason play will be a distant memory.
Bench to step up
The bench needs to fire, especially if the starters have are in a tough spot.
Regulars Jordan Ngatai, Jarrod Kenny and Mirko Djeric were among the bench players to have up and down outings across the Blitz.
As a whole, the bench averaged 23.6 points per game, aided largely by a 21-point outing by Jawai against the Perth Wildcats.
A deep bench is the key to success for any team, but for the Taipans it’s imperative they lock in lest we see a repeat of the NBL21 season.
‘Line in the sand’ after poor pre-season Blitz
A winless preseason may leave critics emboldened and fans panicking, Cairns Taipans head coach Adam Forde has found the few areas he knows his team needs to address to be ready for season.
The Snakes struggled across the board during their five-game NBL Blitz campaign that failed to yield victory.
Forde said one takeaway from the preseason was the problems with his team were obvious – but easier to address.
“The one positive that we can take away from not getting any wins is that it doesn’t disguise the deficiencies we have,” he said.
“The fact we came out with no wins makes all the areas I want to address and improve on real.
“There’s no sugar-coating it, this is the difference between winning and losing.”
One problem which plagued the Taipans throughout the Blitz was generating turnovers and protecting their own possessions.
Forde said his players simply “don’t value the ball yet.”
“We’re trying to increase the level of intensity, urgency, trying to manage guys where the pressure is on to play through it and not go so tight and restrictive,” he said.
“We broke down all the turnovers to 107 over five games which is not great, that’s 21 per cent of our possession we’re just throwing away.
“Majority of those were either passing or catching the pass. We can’t pretend it’s not there, we can’t pretend that it’s going to be okay – it’s something we need to address.”
Forde said he also had conversations with many players about their preseason form, outlining “line in the sand moments” where improvement was needed.
One player who had an underwhelming preseason, by his high standards, was import point guard Scott Machado.
Through four games, the Taipans star went 7-23 from mid range, 5-25 from three and had 26 assists (6.25 per game).
But Forde said if any player can get back into their groove before the season, it’s his “level-headed, mature, experienced and elite point guard.”
“When you look at some of the multi billion dollar sports betting companies … they heavily invest in their analytics and they’ve got Scott Machado as the third overall favourite for league MVP,” Forde said.
“I spoke with Scott, we had a good conversation where we both agreed that it probably wasn’t the best preseason for him.
“We’d like at least one or two more games before we roll into Perth, but we don’t have that luxury.
“(Machado) can’t carry the burden of wins and losses, there were multiple players that we need to step up.”
Many have touted the Taipans for another tough season, but Forde and his team will focus on what they can control.
“The same way I ask the guys not to ride the highs and lows – that emotional roller coaster we go through – we can’t get caught up in the same highs and lows of everyone elses’ expectations,” he said.
“Everyone’s got opinions, [I] can’t do much about it.”
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Originally published as Taipans prep for a Boxing Day test against Brisbane Bullets
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