Preview: Cairns vs Brisbane - Round 9, NBL24

Friday, December 1, 2023

Cairns and Brisbane will clash in the latest battle for Queensland. Can the Taipans defend home court?

Friday, December 1 at 7:30pm AEDT | Cairns Convention Centre

Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports | International viewership details
Box scores: Download the free NBL App

Last time Cairns and Brisbane clashed an on-court coming together between Aron Baynes and Lat Mayen – and a tunnel encounter between Baynes and Taipans coach Adam Forde – led to the Bullets center being suspended for five games.

Former Taipan Shannon Scott has been confirmed as returning from injury for the Bullets this weekend. The game against Cairns will be his first appearance since Round 4, where he suffered a hamstring injury.

Derek Rucker has said if the Bullets are to mount a genuine post-season push, they need to overcome the Taipans.

Should Cairns defeat the Bullets, the Taipans will likely leapfrog their state rivals on the ladder.

Cairns
87-90 loss to Tasmania
80-88 loss to Perth
81-71 win over Illawarra

Brisbane
76-79 loss to Perth
95-104 loss to Sydney
85-87 loss to Tasmania

Josh Roberts
It’s not unusual for an import to play a backup role in the NBL. After all, last season’s Best Sixth Man – Barry Brown Jr – hails from Florida in the United States. What’s weird about Josh Roberts’ backup role is it doesn’t really look like his role is clear.

The former Manhattan Jasper is currently playing his first ever professional season and, like most players coming straight from college, is experiencing some growing pains in the professional game. That being said, his barely five minutes a game is well below any other import this season.

Sam Mennenga was brought in to partner and back up Sam Waardenburg in the post positions, and it now looks like AK Gak has leapfrogged Roberts to become the team’s third-choice center.

In a team that has been beset by injuries all season long, Roberts has struggled to establish himself on this roster. Where does that leave him for the season ahead, and where does it leave the Taipans’ rotation?

“I don’t know what they brought him out here to do, maybe be a kind of role player? Every import doesn’t have to be a 20-10 guy, you need your role playing imports as well ... he has done something to upset the [Adam] Forde universe.” – Damon Lowery on NBL Now.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Josh Roberts slashes through the lane for the two-handed finish ?<br><br>Watch live & free on Kayo Freebies ? <a href="https://t.co/WBCIEGHtai">pic.twitter.com/WBCIEGHtai</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1711886599569453179?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Shannon Scott
When the Bullets have faltered in the final quarter this season, they’ve been lacking that seasoned, experienced, calm influence from the point guard position. That influence has been at the club, but he’s been on the sidelines nursing a hamstring injury.

Shannon Scott is back this weekend though.

The former Taipan will be making his return from injury at his old home court, after becoming the latest in a line of imports to trade Cairns for Brisbane in the NBL.

Scott was exceptional in the Taipans’ run to the semi-finals last season, and was replaced by fellow import Patrick Miller this season.

The Bullets will welcome the comeback of one of their key clutch players, but it remains to be seen how the Cairns faithful will greet their former star.

“He’s crucial, and it is going to put some pressure on him coming down the stretch if it’s a tight game ... not only is it Brisbane’s bogey point at the moment – late game execution – also, Shannon Scott is going back to Cairns for the first time ... what happens there?” – Derek Rucker on NBL Now.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Shannon Scott. Point guard or quarterback? ?<br><br>Catch the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL23?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL23</a> action live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel. <a href="https://t.co/ZnFgEawsYd">pic.twitter.com/ZnFgEawsYd</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1609121899782770689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Sam Waardenburg vs Josh Bannan
Last season’s Next Generation Award winner Sam Waardenburg is set to clash with Josh Bannan who – at this stage – seems to be the elected favourite for this year’s honour.

While Waardenburg was largely used as a power forward in tandem with Keanu Pinder last season, he’s spent more time at the center position this season, however the versatile nature of Cairns crop of talls, and Bannan himself, means the pair will likely spend extended stints guarding each other.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Get that outta here ?<br>Waardenburg rejects it off the backboard!<br><br>? <a href="https://twitter.com/SamWaardenburg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SamWaardenburg</a> | ? <a href="https://twitter.com/espn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@espn</a> <a href="https://t.co/sD0Kn7PIcZ">pic.twitter.com/sD0Kn7PIcZ</a></p>— Cairns Taipans (@CairnsTaipans) <a href="https://twitter.com/CairnsTaipans/status/1725782917421703195?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Waardenburg’s scoring numbers are slightly down this season. He’s taking more shots for fewer points per game in NBL24, but his rising assist numbers make it seem like he’s experiencing a holistic development, similar to Bannan’s at collegiate program Montana.

Both players are young, local bigs who are looking to stamp their mark on the professional game, and both have the talent and potential to become high-level NBL mainstays for the bulk of their careers.

This is a matchup that isn’t just crucial to the outcome of this game, but it’s a matchup of the future in NBL basketball.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Is Josh Bannan a future leader of the NBL? ?<br><br>NBL legend Derek Rucker believes the first-year pro has all the tools to be a future captain on the <a href="https://twitter.com/BrisbaneBullets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BrisbaneBullets</a> ?‍??<br><br>Watch the Brisbane Bullets NBL Now Round Table ?? <a href="https://t.co/GA9VSjee2b">https://t.co/GA9VSjee2b</a> <a href="https://t.co/V8MI92rk3T">pic.twitter.com/V8MI92rk3T</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1729305845463470402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Cairns has won its last nine games against Brisbane. The last Bullets victory came in Round 20, NBL21, where a 21-point, 10 assist masterclass from Nathan Sobey led Brisbane to its first ever season sweep of the Taipans.

Nathan Sobey last time the Bullets defeated Cairns.