Seeding Qualifier: Taipans focus on second chance

CQUniversity Cairns Taipans (79) lost to Tasmania JackJumpers (87)
Seeding Qualifier | Cairns Convention Centre
Next Game: Taipans v Wildcats, Play-In Game, Sunday 12 February 1:00pm AEST

SUMMARY

The CQUniversity Cairns Taipans couldn’t quite overcome the Tasmania JackJumpers in Thursday night's Seeding Qualifier to open the NBL Finals at Cairns Convention Centre, but still have a second chance to reach the Playoffs.

The JackJumpers continued to have the answers during the evening in the battle between the third and fourth ranked teams before winning 87-79.

However, the Taipans will now remain at home to host the Perth Wildcats on Sunday and a win will see them advance to a best-of-three playoff series against the Sydney Kings.

Milton Doyle opened the game with a three-pointer for Tasmania and it was a good start for the JackJumpers until six straight points for Cairns from Shannon Scott, DJ Hogg and Tahjere McCall to put them up 10-7.

Doyle responded with an and-one and then the JackJumpers closed the opening quarter with a 13-2 run that including five quick Isaac White points and a triple from Jack McVeigh to see them lead 25-16 by the end of one.

The JackJumpers shot 53 per cent for the first quarter to 29 from the Taipans and things were looking dangerous early in the second term for the home team when Tasmania opened up a 13-point lead after another three from McVeigh and bucket to White.

Scott and McCall did their best to try and will Cairns back into the contest and they did combine for 22 first half points, but Tasmania still led 46-37 by half-time with 12 points to Doyle leading the way.

The Taipans picked up their defensive intensity and everything flowed from that in the third quarter. Sam Waardenburg scored their first six points and then when they went on a 7-0 run, they grabbed the lead for the first time since early in the game.

The JackJumpers did well to steady the ship with the next nine points and it forced Adam Forde into a timeout with two minutes in the third quarter to go with Tasmania back up eight.

Sam McDaniel was left all alone rolling to the hoop to make it a 11-0 Tasmania run and the JackJumpers remained leading by 10 at three quarter-time with the job ahead of the Snakes.

Tasmania opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer to Sean Macdonald and from there anytime the Taipans threatened a run, the JackJumpers responded. 

White, McVeigh and Doyle all landed long bombs with the JackJumpers winning by eight to advance to the playoffs against the Breakers while the Taipans prepare to host the Wildcats.

STATISTICS

Tasmania was able to control much of the contest on the back of shooting 48 per cent from the floor, hitting 10/21 from three-point land and 13/16 at the foul line. 

In comparison, Cairns went 41 per cent from the field, 5/22 from long-range and 14/21 at the free-throw line. The JackJumpers also ended up getting 46 points off the bench to just eight from the Taipans.

Tahjere McCall top-scored for Cairns with 24 points to go with six rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Shannon Scott added 17 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals, DJ Hogg 13 points, eight boards and four assists, and Sam Waardenburg 12 points and five rebounds.

Bul Kuol also ended up with five points, two rebounds and two steals, Majok Deng five points, seven rebounds and two steals, and Lat Mayen three points.

STATEMENTS

Head Coach Adam Forde: 

"We played tight. We missed some great looks, I thought, we missed some bunnies at the rim and the more we missed the good looks the more we tightened up and shied away from continuing to take them. The third quarter was good in the sense was that we got a bit of a run and were aggressive on the rim. We wanted to keep attacking the rim and were able to get to the foul line while we were missing some finishes. We got a one-point lead and then we had to rotate a couple of guys through because the starters were starting to feel a bit winded, and in a stretch of two and-a-half Tassie just blew it out again. There's a lot of learning lessons from it but the reality was Tassie's bench was amazing. Every time we felt like we got a bit of a run, the momentum was taken from us. Whether we were reacting unnecessarily to calls, they made some tough shots and seemed to bring us back down again. For a lot of these guys this is their first post-season type game and their understanding the nature of that beast. Now we have a sudden death game on Sunday we need to prepare for and we can't be too down on ourselves because we've got two days to prepare for Perth up here."

Taipans Guard Bul Kuol:

"It can get frustrating when you miss shots that usually go in but I think that was the big difference maker today. I think we let it bother us a little bit because they don't usually happen. It happened a lot today but there's nothing you can do about it. I think we'll respond better next time and you can't really plan for those type of things, nobody is trying to miss shots on purpose. But it's a little frustrating being honest."