Cairns’ NBL season slipping away once again

As a basketball team, the Cairns Taipans are just treading water. In the post-Aaron Fearne era at the NBL club, they are now 8-28 and are yet to find an identity.

CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 09: Fabijan Krslovic of the Taipans drives to the basket past Tim Coenraad of the Hawks during the round six NBL match between the Cairns Taipans and the Illawarra Hawks at the Cairns Convention Centre on November 09, 2019 in Cairns, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

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As a basketball team, the Cairns Taipans are just treading water.

In the post-Aaron Fearne era at the NBL club, they are now 8-28 and are yet to find an identity in the way they want to play and portray themselves on the basketball court.

There is no way of sugar coating it, Saturday night’s heavy defeat to the 1-7 Illawarra Hawks, who are down an import and relying on an inexperienced skinny 18-year-old for all their offence, was flat out embarrassing.

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In front of the first Snakes’ sold out crowd in some time, to deliver a performance like that, it was just not good enough for a group of professional athletes, who some believe could push for finals this season.

Perhaps last season, with that mix-match crew of guys that were thrown together at the last minute for Mike Kelly’s first season, an effort like that would be acceptable.

But, not this year.

CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 09: Taipans coach Mike Kelly looks on during the round six NBL match between the Cairns Taipans and the Illawarra Hawks at the Cairns Convention Centre on November 09, 2019 in Cairns, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

The club and Kelly have had almost 18 months post-Fearne, whose reputation as a master coach in the Far North continues to grow now that he is gone, to put together a competitive and resilient roster.

Sources around the team often speak of a lack accountability for players when they show little interest in defence or make blatant errors on the defensive end of the floor.

This was true with Melo Trimble last season, who cruised on defence, and those claims are again being made towards the lack of feedback towards the Americans when they do not hold up their end of the bargain.

Why are the locals and bench guys going to bust their backsides on defence when the high-paid imports are allowed to get away with it?

CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 09: LaMelo Ball of the Hawks looks to get past Scott Machado of the Taipans during the round six NBL match between the Cairns Taipans and the Illawarra Hawks at the Cairns Convention Centre on November 09, 2019 in Cairns, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Josh Boone and David Andersen have looked their ages, which is mid to late 30s, for much of the season but on Saturday night, they were allowed to play like they were in their prime.

While things are bleak on the court, there has been some positive developments away from the game itself that should be highlighted.

They have added to their coaching group, bringing in former West Australian-based Lennon Smartt for the season as an intern, beefing their coaching numbers up to four.

They have also landed former Perth Wildcats team manager Brett Havercroft, who has made the move to the Far North after being with the leading NBL franchise through recent championship runs.

The 2019-20 season will quickly become a wasted one, again, if things don’t turn around sharply.

Originally published as Cairns’ NBL season slipping away once again