Fight or flight: Andrews delivers after epic preparations

Andrew Andrews only touched down in Cairns two days before his debut, so coach Adam Forde was not surprised to see him miss shots and battle cramp.

What mattered more to Forde was the glimpse of what his new point guard can bring. The Taipans rewarded their home fans with a gutsy one-point win over Brisbane on Friday, just days after a 37-point thumping from South East Melbourne.

For Andrews, it capped a whirlwind 48 hours. He landed from Portland on Wednesday, had one practice on Thursday, then started on Friday night.

Despite missing his first eight field goals and cramping late, the 32 year old still showed his quality. He finished with eight points and four assists in 27 minutes, proving why the Taipans are excited about what is to come.

Forde has no doubt Andrews will be an ideal fit for the Taipans, confident he will only improve as a scorer, playmaker and leader.

“Where he was coming from, tip-off was 1:30 in the morning for him, so adjusting to that time is difficult and you have to allow for that. But he showed how professional he is and he is only going to get better,” Forde said.

“Andrew was amazing. He had one practice session and was playing less than 36 hours after landing. He was cramping at the end, but he still made some big shots to settle himself in. We knew his best basketball is still to come.

“Drew is another guy who, once he finds his voice in this group, brings with him 10 years of experience in some of the most elite leagues around the world. He already dropped some real gems at practice yesterday and had a few one liners that really hit the mark.”