Reigning NBL champions Melbourne United show the Cairns Taipans no mercy

REIGNING champions Melbourne United showed their old assistant coach Mike Kelly and his Cairns Taipans no mercy in Round 4 of the NBL.

CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA — NOVEMBER 03: DJ Newbill of the Taipans talks with Melbourne United assistant coach Paul Henare before the start of the round four NBL match between the Cairns Taipans and Melbourne United at Cairns Convention Centre on November 3, 2018 in Cairns, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

• McCarron returns north as star of ‘Greek’ city
• Snakes will need tons of support
• Goulding escapes with bone bruising
• Defence looks key to Snakes recovery

ONLY months ago Mike Kelly played a leading hand in Melbourne United’s breakthrough championship.

For his valued service as an assistant coach to Dean Vickerman, United sent their former second in charge and his new club Cairns deeper down the bottom of the NBL table last night.

Kelly’s first season calling the shots of his own program has not exactly gone to plan so far, losing all three of his home games and now floundering at the foot of the ladder with a 1-4 record.

His old mob, United, showed zero mercy to their former mentor last night as they landed in Far North Queensland and shot the lights out from the opening seconds.

Within a blink of an eye, the reigning champs skipped out to 14-point first term advantage.

As expected, the hosts did show some fight in the final three stanzas but United rolled on with their momentum as the damage had been done.

The Victorians claimed win number four for the season, 98-85, as they now turn their attention to the Sydney Kings at home on Monday evening.

Guard Casper Ware led United’s scoring department with 32 while David Barlow and DJ Kennedy both went past double figures in influential displays.

Casper Ware of United tries to find a way through the Taipans defence during the Round 4 NBL match between the Cairns Taipans and Melbourne United at the Cairns Convention Centre in Cairns, Saturday, November 3, 2018. (AAP Image/Brian Cassey) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

“It was a really big win,” Ware said.

“We just need to build on this.

“It was really fun against Melo, it was good to play against a player like him.

“I just need to be ready and lock in for Monday night.”

Four straight buckets by NBL leading scorer Melo Trimble in the third term dragged Cairns back within three.

As he has been for much of the season, it was Trimble or bust on the offensive end for the Taipans as he put the team on his back but he little help from anyone else.

The contest turned into a Trimble against Ware point guard battle in the fourth term as they traded several buckets, but Ware got the last laugh over the younger Trimble.

Trimble and Ware combined for 66 points.

Earlier in the night, the Snakes were asleep at the wheel in the opening exchanges, falling behind 9-0 on the back of three United triples.

Melbourne drained seven of their first eight looks from down town with the Taipans’ struggling defence daring them to continue to shoot at times.

Originally published as Reigning NBL champions Melbourne United show the Cairns Taipans no mercy