Brave Taipans fall just two points short in the 'Gong

Despite losing Scott Machado along the way, Cam Oliver led a brave charge from the CQUniversity Cairns Taipans in Wollongong on Sunday that unfortunately saw them fall just two points short against the Illawarra Hawks.

Things were looking dire early in the second quarter for the Taipans with the Hawks opening up a 14-point gap, but Oliver wasn’t going to let that stand and brought the Snakes right back into the contest with an 11-point third quarter.

That was despite the loss of point guard Machado to a corked leg that didn’t see him return after half-time. 

But with Oliver on fire and then Nate Jawai coming along for the ride, and then Jarrod Kenny and Tad Dufelmeier helping filling up the void left in the absence of Machado, the Snakes gave themselves a real chance of what would have been a stunning victory.

Not only did Machado miss the second half but regular starters Kouat Noi and Majok Deng were missing, and they were on the road against a Brian Goorjian coached Hawks at the WIN Entertainment Centre.

But still the Taipans almost snatched the win with Jordan Ngatai draining a three with 16 seconds to go to make it a one-point game. He then had another good look to tie scores, but it didn’t quite fall and the Hawks held on for the 82-80 win.

Oliver had a huge game for the Taipans finishing with 27 points, 12 rebounds and five assists on 9/18 shooting from the floor and 7/9 from the free-throw line.

Dufelmeier had never made an NBL field goal coming into the game but he sure changed that playing 14 crucial minutes and delivering 12 points, three steals and two rebounds while shooting 4/6 from the field and 2/3 from beyond the arc.

Kenny also produced nine points and three assists, Jawai nine points and three rebounds, Mirko Djeric eight points, Ngatai seven and Mojave King five to go with six rebounds.

Taipans coach Mike Kelly certainly had a lot to be proud about in the fight shown by his group.

"I thought in the second half especially the guys played with great energy and intent, and in the last 15 minutes especially it seemed like they really started to get up and in, and affecting Illawarra's offence a little bit with our defence and attacking more on offence," Kelly said.

"We were executing better and showed good energy. Then even with the last play, I didn’t see exactly how we screened but that's what we were hoping for was a good look there and he did a good job with the little sidestep. We gave ourselves a chance."

It wasn’t the start Cairns was after with Illawarra hitting the game's first seven points but Cam Oliver steadied things with a three ball. He would score 11 of Cairns' opening 13 points before Mirko Djeric gave a quick burst of five points to cut the deficit to five for the Taipans by quarter-time.

The start to the second term was then a horror show for the Taipans with the Hawks scoring nine points and holding the Snakes scoreless for more than three minutes until Oliver returned to the floor and knocked down a jumper.

Djeric and Jarrod Kenny then hit three balls as well, and Scott Machado converted a three-point play. Tad Dufelmeier scored his first NBL points as well, but still the Hawks went into half-time leading 46-35 on the back of 25 rebounds to 13, and controlling the possession game.

Not only were Cairns down 11 at half-time, but they lost Machado during the break as well. But Oliver was still there and he came out on fire in the second half scoring eight points in the opening 3:30.

That saw the Taipans get back within five points and that's where things stayed heading into three quarter-time.

It was Jawai's turn to take over to start the fourth and he hit Cairns' first seven points and suddenly the scores were tied. Illawarra again pulled away to lead by 12, but the Taipans refused to lie down and went on a 9-0 run to get back within three with 3:45 remaining.

Dufelmeier then drained a three to make it a two-point ball game before Mojave King did the same to keep the margin at two. Then with 16 seconds left, Jordan Ngatai connected from downtown and it was a one-point ball game.

After two Illawarra free-throws from Justinian Jessup, the Taipans had a good look at the tying three from Ngatai. It just rattled out, however, and the Hawks held on to win by two.

The Taipans now return home to the Cairns Pop-Up Arena to host the Adelaide 36ers on Wednesday night.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 13

CQUNIVERSITY CAIRNS TAIPANS 80 (Oliver 27, Dufelmeier 12, Kenny 9, Jawai 9) 

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 82 (Harvey 35, Simon 10, Deng 9)

BOX SCORE