Taipans suffer rare home loss against Hawks

The CQUniversity Cairns Taipans have lost at home for the first time since 2019 despite some hot shooting from Majok Deng, with the Hawks defeating the Snakes 92-76 at the Cairns Pop-up Arena. 

The Taipans were on an eight-game winning streak in Cairns dating back to December 12, 2019 and on the back of winning the last eight matches at Cairns Convention Centre last season, they opened up 2021 beating the Sydney Kings at the Pop-Up Arena on Saturday.

The Snakes were attempting to equal a club record nine straight home wins but the only lead of the evening came from the first three points at the line from Mirko Djeric.

Kouat Noi caught fire early for Cairns with four three-pointers in the opening half and Majok Deng was doing all he could with 14 second half points, but ultimately The Hawks proved too much and won by 16 points.

Deng ended up top-scoring for the Taipans finishing with 20 points and five rebounds on 8/13 shooting from the field.

Noi finished with 16 points and six rebounds while Cam Oliver also had 16 points for the game to go with 12 rebounds.

Scott Machado had another double-double made up of 11 points and 11 assists while Mirko Djeric scored nine points, Fabijan Krslovic two and Jordan Ngatai two.

Taipans coach Mike Kelly wasn’t happy with the start where The Hawks were able to build some confidence.

"I definitely think we haven’t started the way we've wanted to, not necessarily because of energy. They scored some baskets, we came back and then they had the last two minutes of that first quarter," Kelly said.

"It's a concern to give up 30 points in a quarter but really to give up 10 points in two minutes is a huge concern where we didn’t close out that quarter very well.

"Overall The Hawks just came in and did whatever they wanted. I think they would have been a little bit surprised at some of the opportunities they had in that first quarter especially.

"That set the table for them and then they just kept going by playing hard. Our energy was good but misplaced it seemed like, we were all over the place and they exploited that. They played really well."

The Taipans started the game with Mirko Djeric getting to the line for three free-throws but The Hawks signalled their intentions soon after with the next eight points before the Snakes settled with a Scott Machado three.

But the visitors soon went on another 6-0 run before Kouat Noi fired Cairns back into the game with three bombs from long range over the course of less than two minutes. Just as the Taipans were working back into it, The Hawks ended the first quarter with 10 straight points to lead 31-19.

Machado helped Cairns close that gap to start the second quarter with the team's first six points before Noi knocked down a fourth triple of the opening half. Majok Deng then connected on three consecutive buckets and Jordan Ngatai scored just before half-time, but the visitors still led by nine at the break.

The Hawks then came out and opened the second half with the first five points before Justinian Jessup hit another three as the lead ballooned to 15. Deng was feeling it, though, for the Snakes and he hit another three quickfire buckets including two from beyond the arc.

Cairns then produced a 6-0 run to close to within seven points heading towards three quarter-time, but ultimately that'd be as close as they would get. The Hawks blew it open again midway through the final term and led by as much as 20 before winning by 16.

The Taipans remain in Cairns to again play the Sydney Kings on Saturday night.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 1

CQUNIVERSITY CAIRNS TAIPANS 76 (Deng 20, Noi 16, Oliver 16)

THE HAWKS 92 (Harvey 25, Jessup 24, Froling 11) 

BOX SCORE