Taipans push towards finals with upset of championship favourites
After 14 games of the 2019-20 campaign, the Cairns Taipans have suddenly transformed themselves from wooden spooners into genuine top four contenders in the NBL.
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After 14 games of the 2019-20 campaign, the Cairns Taipans have suddenly transformed themselves from wooden spooners into genuine top four contenders in the NBL.
Even to start the second season under coach Mike Kelly, the Snakes were 0-3 and looked much like the side from the year before at times, but how things have changed.
Since then, Cairns are 7-4 and giving themselves every chance to make the play-offs for the first time in three seasons.
The Snakes had not won in 10 attempts at the Sydney Kings’ home of Qudos Bank Arena before Sunday but they made it an afternoon to remember for the Far North club.
The community-owned team continued their giant-killing run on Sunday, downing the championship favourite Kings in a contest they controlled for almost the entire four quarters.
The memorable upset victory improves Cairns’ season record to 7-7 and moves them into the top four with one game to be completed in Round 10.
The visitors led by as much as 17 and held on to claim their second victory of the weekend, 98-109.
A Scott Machado triple with just over 90 seconds to play gave the Snakes enough breathing space to score the victory.
“It is a big win for us, a huge win for us,” Machado said.
“This is the number one team in the league and we are humbled by it.”
And, if they do enough to make the finals, they will get there with confidence, having now defeated Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, who are likely to fill the top three positions, if the season continues the way it is going now.
Premier NBL point guard Casper Ware gave his club a chance in the final term, scoring 21 points himself in crunch time, and the Snakes were a little shaky late on, but Cairns did enough to hold on.
When they returned from the interval, co-captain DJ Newbill took over.
For some reason, league MVP Andrew Bogut sat deep on his pick and roll coverage and Newbill scored in every which way he wanted.
Newbill attacked the rim, hit a trifecta of triples as well as nailing it in the mid-range as Bogut stood and watched.
When the second-year Snake hit his third bomb in the period, he pushed Cairns’ advantage out to 13.
The American two guard owned the contest in the third, connecting on nine of his first 15 shots.
Newbill finished with a game-high 31 points in what may just be his best performance for the club.
Earlier in the evening, the visitors closed out the first stanza in perfect fashion, extending their lead to 11 points, with Mirko Djeric hitting three straight buckets when he was injected into the game.
Impressive rookie Kouat Noi put on an offensive show early on also, hitting five of his first six shots, and attacking the rim with strength.
Noi dropped 15 points by halftime, to go with four rebounds.
Cairns’ early double-digit lead evaporated slightly in the second term as their transition defence lacked and the Kings were able to get out and run.
A Machado three with under a minute to play gave the Snakes a six-point lead at the long break.
The American floor general stuffed the stat sheet early on, collecting nine points, five rebounds and five assists.
Machado finished with 21 points and nine assists.
Cairns forced the Kings into eight first-half turnovers that fuelled their own attack.
The Snakes back up quickly, hosting the also suddenly red-hot Perth Wildcats on Friday night.
Originally published as Taipans push towards finals with upset of championship favourites