Play-in Game: Taipans v Wildcats

CQUniversity Cairns Taipans vs Perth Wildcats
(Cairns Convention Centre, 1:00pm)
GET TICKETS HERE
Watch LIVE on ESPN (Kayo Freebies)
Post-Game Party: Reef Hotel Casino

LAST MEETING

The Taipans come full circle for the NBL’s inaugural play-in game on Sunday, facing the Perth Wildcats for the ultimate test in a sudden death decider.

For Adam Forde, he faces the team he won four Championships with. For the team, they take on the side they faced in their first home game of the regular season (losing 76-105) and finished with last (winning 84-71) to finally break the streak.

The Taipans were without Keanu Pinder, Tahjere McCall and Mirko Djeric in Perth, but they pulled away from the Wildcats with a stunning 10-4 start. The Taipans managed a double-digit lead at half-time, and despite Wildcat TaShawn Thomas reducing the deficit to six points in the third, Shannon Scott and Majok Deng were too strong in the fourth. Bul Kuol top-scored for the team out west, just shy of a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds.

LOOK FOR

The visitors might have Bryce Cotton, but Cairns have Shannon Scott. The spiritual leader stepped up the first time Keanu Pinder was injured and spurred the team’s 6-0 winning streak while averaging 16.2 points per game. With the team at full strength, Scott stepped back but he has to fill a void for Pinder and McCall for this Finals match. On Thursday against Tasmania, he had 17 points (50% 3PM) six rebounds, three steals and three assists. 

LINE-UP

In a huge blow, Tahjere McCall will not be available for the play-in game, after sustaining a shoulder McCall joins Keanu Pinder on the sidelines.

For the visitors, the Wildcats are at full strength.

LATEST WORDS

“There reality is, it’s on us. We’ve done this a couple of times now throughout the season, where we’ve put ourselves in a more difficult position than we had to. We’ve got home court advantage. It’s on us. Perth are obviously riding a bit of momentum at the moment, with a great game to finish out the season against Sydney and then obviously the win against South East, we’re still trying to find out momentum in this short stretch. You’ve got to knuckle up, right? Do or die.”

“I don’t think it’s going to all be on me [to defend Bryce Cotton].  We have a lot of defensive guys on this team. We have Shannon, we have Tahj, DJ on the backend. It’s going to be a team effort, as always.”