Game Preview: Taipans v Bullets

Queensland bragging rights are up for grabs again as Jack McVeigh and the Kenfrost Homes Cairns Taipans hit the Brisbane Entertainment Centre for a Sunday afternoon derby.

After grinding out an 88-83 win in Cairns last time, the Taipans will be hunting the season sweep, but the Bullets led by Hunter Maldonado will be desperate to strike back on their home floor.

‍Where and When

Sunday, 8 Feburary at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre (3:30pm AEST)‍

How to Follow

Watch: Live on 10 Drama and ESPN

Live Updates: Taipans X

Stats: Box Score‍

What’s Already Happened‍

Recent Results
Cairns Taipans (96) v Tasmania JackJumpers (93)
Cairns Taipans (92) v Sydney Kings (106)
Perth Wildcats (98) v Cairns Taipans (84)

Brisbane Bullets (75) v Illawarra Hawks (113)
Brisbane Bullets (74) v Adelaide 36ers (107)
Tasmania JackJumpers (114) v Brisbane Bullets (70)

Andrew Andrews poured in 25 points and orchestrated Cairns’ late push, but the Kenfrost Homes Cairns Taipans were edged out 98-84 by the Perth Wildcats at RAC Arena on Friday night.

Cairns burst out to a 17-10 lead as Mojave King marked his 50th game in orange with an early two-hand slam, while Kyrin Galloway’s small-ball minutes at centre helped the Taipans punish Perth in the paint.

The Wildcats steadied through Kristian Doolittle’s hot start, with the game locked at 22-22 at quarter-time before Perth’s frontcourt pairing of Doolittle and Jo Lual-Acuil Jr took control, pushing the hosts to a 50-40 halftime lead.

Cairns kept swinging in the third behind Andrews’ midrange scoring, but Perth maintained its buffer to lead 68-59 at three-quarter time.

A late Taipans surge, sparked by back-to-back threes from King and Jack McVeigh, then an Andrews and-one, cut the margin to 83-80, but the Wildcats closed late to secure the win.

King finished with 21 points and eight rebounds, McVeigh added 18 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Doolittle led Perth with 32 points and Lual-Acuil Jr added 27.

‍Last Time They Met

The Taipans held off a furious Brisbane comeback to claim a gritty 88-83 Queensland derby  win at the Cairns Convention Centre last time these sides met, with Andrew Andrews’ huge fourth quarter and composure at the line proving the difference.

Cairns exploded out of the gates to lead 28-16 at quarter-time and 47-35 at the break, sparked by a perfect first quarter from Sam Waardenburg (11 points) and Kyrin Galloway’s early aggression. 

Brisbane dragged it into a scrap after halftime, repeatedly getting to the foul line to cut the margin to 68-62 at three-quarter time, before drawing level at 81-81 with 1:22 on the clock.

After Waardenburg went down with an ankle injury in the third, the Taipans reshuffled and found a way, as Andrews hit huge buckets to break the deadlock and knocked down back-to-back clutch free throws late.

McVeigh sealed it with a late steal and the final basket.

McVeigh led Cairns with 25 points, six rebounds and six assists, Andrews posted 18 points and 13 assists, while Galloway added 19 points.

Brisbane import Hunter Maldonado starred in defeat with 31 points, five assists and six rebounds.

Alex Ducas returned against the JackJumpers on Friday night, while Terry Taylor will return to the side after serving his one-game suspension.

Andrews vs Maldonado‍

Sunday’s Queensland derby sets up another prime-time point guard chess match, with Portland playmaker Andrew Andrews and Brisbane import Hunter Maldonado ready to trade control, pace and late-game answers at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

Andrews has been the leader of Cairns’ offence all season, averaging 14.4 points and 7.6 assists per game and heading into Round 20 he sits second in the NBL for assists (7.6).

But Maldonado brings a different kind of problem at the point with size, strength and downhill pressure.

After scoring a game-high 31 points against the Taipans in their last meeting, he’ll again be Brisbane’s primary creator and a threat at the foul-line after hitting 13-18 free throws last time out.

Both sides will again be shorthanded in the frontcourt, with Cairns still without primary big man Sam Waardenburg (ankle) and Brisbane continuing to miss Tyrell Harrison (concussion).

In Harrison’s absence, Bullets big man Jacob Holt has produced a string of strong performances, including a season-high 24 points against Adelaide and another standout outing with 23 against Melbourne United.

Taipans Head Coach Adam Forde:

"Andrews was great, Galloway had a lot of good looks that didn’t drop in his favour. Galloway being aggressive opened up the corridor for Andrews to pick his moments. They’re aggressive with McVeigh off the ball, so there’s no help defensively from those positions. Andrews had a great balance of hitting shots from the midrange, getting to the rim and shooting the three ball. He had a great game."

"Credit to the guys, we didn’t roll over. At the end of the second quarter, Perth started to get a run on, but we held it down and won the third quarter by a point. We brought it back to a three-point game in the fourth quarter. Great effort from the guys with a seven-man rotation, they played their hearts out."

Lineups

‍Taipans

PG – Andrew Andrews / Lachlan Barker / Kyle Adnam

SG – Mojave King / Reyne Smith / Kody Stattmann / Lloyd McVeigh

SF –  Jack McVeigh

PF – Kyrin Galloway / Admiral Schofield

C – Marcus Lee / Jed Richardson‍

Bullets

PG – Mitch Norton / Hunter Maldonado

SG – Tristan Devers / Taine Murray

SF – Alex Ducas / Jack Purchase / Jensen Bradtke

PF – Terry Taylor / Tohi Smith-Milner

C – Jacob Holt / Callum Dalton

‍Ins and Outs

‍Taipans

Ins – Reyne Smith, Mojave King, Lachlan Barker, Lloyd McVeigh, Jed Richardson

Outs – Sam Waardenburg (ankle), Alex Higgins-Titsha (wrist), Mawot Mag (foot) ‍

Bullets

Ins –

Outs – Outs – Casey Prather (Knee), Dakota Mathias (Shoulder), Javon Freeman-Liberty (Hamstring), Lamar Patterson (Hamstring), Taine Murray (Ankle), Tyrell Harrison (Concussion), Sam McDaniel (calf)