Cairns Taipans strike to keep NBL season alive

The Cairns Taipans have kept their delicate playoffs dance alive for another week after a comeback win.

Tony Mitchell shoots for Cairns against Perth. Picture: Justin Brierty

The Cairns Taipans have kept their delicate playoffs chances alive for ­another week with an 85-77 comeback win over Perth at the Cairns Convention Centre.

The Taipans had dropped out of the top four following their blowout loss to Illawarra two days earlier and they looked shellshocked early on as the Wildcats ran up a considerable first-half lead.

Perth guard Bryce Cotton was silky from the very start, ­hitting two three-pointers to score eight points in the first quarter alone.

Cotton’s haul, combined with Jesse Wagstaff and skipper Damien Martin’s steadying influence, had the Cats up by as many as 12 points in the second quarter as they looked set to permanently dent the home side’s finals hopes.

But Tony Mitchell and Nate Jawai led the Taipans’ revival in the third quarter.

Plagued by foul trouble against Illawarra on Friday, ­Mitchell earned his redemption back on home court, the notorious dunker threw down two huge jams to kickstart the Snakes’ run and also showed off his range from deep.

The 198cm forward shot two threes in the closing stages to ­finish on 20 points with the Wildcats also unable to contain his damaging runs into the ­middle of their paint.

Jawai, sporting a heavily strapped shoulder, was quick to follow his import’s lead, the ­former Wildcat popped up again and again under the premiers’ ring, and scored 15 points in the second half to finish with 22.

Perth remain in second spot.

AAP