Round 3: Snakes keep winning on the road

CQUniversity Cairns Taipans (83) def. Sydney Kings (78)
Round 3 | Qudos Bank Arena
Next Game: Taipans at United, Thursday 16 October 6:30pm AEST

SUMMARY

The CQUniversity Cairns Taipans have continued their stunning form on the road to open the NBL23 season by handing the reigning champion Sydney Kings their first defeat.

The Kings hadn’t lost since the last regular season game of NBL22 on the way to winning the championship and then winning their first three games of this season, but that all changed on Friday night at Qudos Bank Arena thanks to the Taipans.

Despite coming into the game without star guard Tahjere McCall (hip) the Snakes arrived on a mission highlighted by a pair of threes from big men Sam Waardenburg and Keanu Pinder to open the contest.

Shannon Scott then joined in the fun with his own three ball before Waardenburg and Pinder went to work inside but by quarter-time the Kings had managed to work their way on top to lead 25-19.

While the Kings threatened to open up a handy lead when up 10 early in the second period, the Taipans responded impressively starting with a triple from Bul Kuol. Majok Deng then hit a couple of buckets and so did DJ Hogg and suddenly the Snakes had drawn back level.

Hogg then drained a triple to give Cairns the lead before Pinder scored inside but again going into half-time Sydney had narrowly worked back in front 40-39.

Three balls to open the second half from Scott and Waardenburg put Cairns back in front before Scott added another and Kuol nailed another from beyond the arc.

Cairns were then up 61-59 at three quarter-time and the impressive three-point shooting continued to start the fourth with bombs from Scott and Hogg to stretch the lead.

Despite Pinder fouling out down the stretch for the Snakes, a massive contested three from Deng put the Taipans up 82-76 with just over a minute to play and ultimately that sealed the deal.

The Taipans have now won all three of their road matches to start the season just with a tough loss at home to Perth thrown in there from Monday night.

STATISTICS

The Taipans shot 13/40 from three-point territory on the night at 32 per cent opposed to 8/28 at 28 per cent from Sydney. The Snakes collected 15 offensive rebounds for 13 second chance points.

Before fouling out late in the piece, Keanu Pinder was superb again for the Taipans finishing with 16 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots on the back of shooting 7/13 from the field.

Shannon Scott stepped up impressively in the absence of Tahjere McCall for 16 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals with DJ Hogg contributing 15 points, five boards, five assists and three steals.

Sam Waardenburg added 13 points and four rebounds, Bul Kuol 11 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals, Majok Deng seven points, five boards and two blocked shots, and Ben Ayre five points and two assists.

STATEMENTS

Head Coach Adam Forde: 

"People are going to react after the Perth game as they naturally did and people are going to react after this game, but for us we're just plotting those KPI's as we go. We're not trying to go by anyone's beat of the drum other than our own so for us to stay composed when numerous times there was adversity whether it be match ups or particular moments in the game, we just stayed solid. Keanu fouled out, we stayed solid. Shannon cramped up, we stayed solid and that's what is important. We're not going to start jumping on this hype train that everyone else might do because we've got this team again in two weeks' time. If we don't continue to trend in the direction we're going, they are going to smoke us by 30. There's things we need to work on and things we're working towards, and we're preparing to be that Cairns Taipans team we want to be in January, February. What impressed me tonight was that they just enjoyed the moment for what it was, but they also understood there's a long road to go."

Rookie Taipans centre Sam Waardenburg:

"I'm learning a lot and it's mainly about learning the players and teams, and what they like to run. That's probably the biggest change for me. The physicality doesn’t really seem like much of a change to what I'm used to even though they are men you are playing against and they are naturally stronger. They are able to get away with a few more things just because they've been in the game longer, but back in the ACC in America I played against guys who were first round picks all the time so I'm kind of used to that physicality, and athleticism. I'm just going to try and keep learning as much as I can, and hopefully that will work out."