Loughton farewelled from Cairns a winner

It has been a season to forget but retiring captain Alex Loughton has gone out a winner in Far North Queensland. The power forward collected a victory in his final home game for the Cairns Taipans on Saturday afternoon against the Brisbane Bullets.

CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA — FEBRUARY 09: Robert Loe of the Taipans collects a rebound during the round 17 NBL match between the Cairns Taipans and the Brisbane Bullets at Cairns Convention Centre on February 09, 2019 in Cairns, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

The Cairns Taipans have sent out retiring champion Alex Loughton in perfect fashion on Saturday afternoon against Brisbane.

In his last game in the Far North before retiring, Loughton played extended minutes in front of a big crowd to finish with 11 crucial points in the 79-68 victory.

The hosts looked to have the Bullets on the ropes in the third term, leading by as much as 15, before Brisbane put the jets on to reduce the margin to seven as they turned for home.

In one of the poorer standard games of the NBL season, a Melo Trimble bomb that took a few pieces of the rim before falling in with 90 seconds to play secured the Snakes fifth victory of the campaign.

The defeat does not completely end the Bullets’ finals hopes but it does make it very hard for the club, who have claimed the last two NBL wooden spoons.

It was his last game in Cairns but Loughton did not limp to retirement.

The 35-year-old showed he still had a few moves at his disposal, hitting the first three of the game for the Taipans, and playing increased minutes.

He did not waste his last opportunity to give out five fouls either, making four count on the Brisbane opposition by the third term, which forced him back to the bench.

With the game all but over, Loughton was fouled taking the ball to the rim, finished his work and completed the three-point play to receive the loudest cheer of the afternoon.

CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA — FEBRUARY 09: A banner is unfurled to commemorate Alex Loughton's last ever home game before his retirement during the round 17 NBL match between the Cairns Taipans and the Brisbane Bullets at Cairns Convention Centre on February 09, 2019 in Cairns, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

The adoring crowd celebrated the veteran forward whenever he was involved in the play.

Loughton thanked the crowd for all their support during his career post-game.

Earlier in the afternoon, for all Cairns’ dominance in the first half, they could only lead by seven at the long break after a Jeremy Kendle half-court bomb ended the second term.

As he usually is, Kendle was instant offence from the bench, dropping eight points, on three made shots, in the blink of an eye late in the second term.

An 8-0 run from Cairns to start the third quarter killed off all the momentum Bullets finished the second term with.

The Snakes are known for their slow starts but it was Brisbane who was asleep early on, scoring just 11 first term points.

Brisbane shot at 17 per cent in the opening term and were lucky to be behind by only seven.

Trimble finished with a game-high 23 points.

Cairns finish the season with a road double-header in Round 18 next week, away at Melbourne and Sydney.

Originally published as Loughton farewelled from Cairns a winner