Preview: Illawarra vs Cairns - Round 16, NBL24

Monday, January 15, 2024

Illawarra has brought in reinforcements for the push to the end of the regular season. Can the Taipans stop the Hawks in their tracks?

Thursday, January 18 at 7:30pm AEDT | WIN Entertainment Centre

Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo | International viewership details
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Former South East Melbourne captain and Melbourne United NBL champion Kyle Adnam has been signed as a replacement player by Illawarra for the remainder of NBL24. Adnam most recently played for Romanian side CSU Sibiu.

ESPN’s Olgun Uluc reported on NBL Overtime that Illawarra have opened discussions around a contract extension for interim head coach Justin Tatum. Tatum has won seven of ten games in charge of the Hawks.

Adam Forde has revealed a flu has swept through the Taipans’ group this week. He says Bobi Klintman is currently unlikely to play in Thursday’s clash.

Illawarra
103-110 loss to Brisbane
108-107 win over Tasmania
116-78 win over South East Melbourne

Cairns
111-101 win over Adelaide
86-103 loss to Tasmania
95-78 win over Melbourne

Illawarra’s guard rotation
The signing of Kyle Adnam as a nominated replacement player has the potential to shake things up for the Hawks in the approach to the post-season, but in a good way.

Illawarra was criticised for using too many players in the difficult run of the early season, and although Adnam’s signing has added another capable body to an already deep guard rotation, it could provide just what Justin Tatum needs as a point of difference at the back end of this season.

Only Gary Clark is averaging more minutes per game than Justin Robinson for the Hawks this season, and the addition of Adnam could take some of the playmaking pressures off the former NBA guard.

While it remains unconfirmed as to if or how much Adnam plays against Cairns, it could be worth keeping an eye on how Tatum uses Robinson in preparation for integrating Adnam into the side, or, if the new signing does play, what the roles of Biwali Bayles and AJ Johnson – and even wing players Hyunjung Lee and Wani Swaka Lo Buluk - look like moving forward.

“I think he’s that fourth guard off the bench. He can give you some really strong point guard play which, at times, for Illawarra off the bench hasn’t been something they can rely upon. It probably takes a little bit of the burden off Justin Robinson and Justin Tatum’s need to keep him in games even though he may not be performing up to standard.” – Derek Rucker on NBL Now.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">SIGNED ??<br><br>The <a href="https://twitter.com/illawarrahawks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@illawarrahawks</a> have added former NBL champion Kyle Adnam for the remainder of the NBL24 season. <br><br>Adnam made six appearances for the Hawks during the 2014-2015 NBL season ?<br><br>Read more: <a href="https://t.co/LwibZlDoaZ">https://t.co/LwibZlDoaZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/UOmUN5NWv2">pic.twitter.com/UOmUN5NWv2</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1747187086049124743?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Akoldah Gak
With Sam Waardenburg out with concussion and Sam Mennenga playing just five minutes against Adelaide in Round 15, the Taipans needed someone to stand up and be big – in both the metaphorical and literal sense – and Akoldah Gak put forth a career-best performance to help lead Cairns to a come from behind victory.

Gak’s 21 points and 14 rebounds marked the highest scoring game and first double-double of his young career, and he showcased exactly why Adam Forde was so keen to bring the former Hawk into the fold for NBL24.

Forde has shown all season that he’s more than willing to reward players who do well with the time they’re given, and you only need to look at the extended runs the likes of Jonah Antonio and Josh Roberts have both seen at various points this season.

The fact he put in a career-best performance right before he plays his old side will be even sweeter for Gak, given he will likely now be given an opportunity to prove a point in his old home against the Hawks.

“That’s my old team so I have a little something towards it. I’m excited for it … Sam’s a great big, don’t get me wrong, but I feel like we have the talent and athleticism to match up with him. It should be a good battle.” – Akoldah Gak mid-week.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">With no Waardenburg and only 5 minutes of Mennenga, Akoldah Gak stepped into a sizeable role Saturday and managed to step up to the plate.<br><br>21 pts | 14 reb | 9/11 FG<br><br>Finished plays both rolling and popping out of screens. <br><br>Looking forward to seeing more of him with Cairns. <a href="https://t.co/CHQ1P4lYJK">pic.twitter.com/CHQ1P4lYJK</a></p>— Michael Houben (@michaelhoub) <a href="https://twitter.com/michaelhoub/status/1746807573251297500?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Wani Swaka Lo Buluk vs Bul Kuol
Two of the NBL’s top one-on-one defensive stalwarts will be at their lockdown best when the Hawks and Taipans clash, and while both Wani Swaka Lo Buluk and Bul Kuol have proven themselves to be starting calibre players, it remains to be seen exactly how they’ll be used.

In the midst of all the chopping and changing Adam Forde has made to his starting lineup this season, one thing you could hang your hat on was that Bul Kuol would be among Cairns’ first five on the floor. That changed last week.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bul Kuol is out here playing hot potato with that touch pass to Sam Mennenga?<br><br>Catch the action live on ESPN via Kayo ? <a href="https://t.co/eiZ7DZTfpK">pic.twitter.com/eiZ7DZTfpK</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1740669326888247573?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The South Sudanese international came off the bench against the 36ers, but still played the equivalent to a starter's minutes.

Swaka Lo Buluk has flitted between the starting five and second unit far more than Kuol this season, but he’s still a member of the Hawks’ most used starting group in NBL24.

With the likes of Tyler Harvey, Gary Clark and Justin Robinson on one side, and Tahjere McCall, Kuol himself and Patrick Miller on the other, the pair will likely be the first players sent to whoever begins to heat up against their side.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“For me, personally, it was very different, but I had no regrets."<br><br>Wani Swaka Lo Buluk says his move to Wollongong was – and continues to be – the right one ?<br><br>Full story ??<a href="https://t.co/49NGcFspGd">https://t.co/49NGcFspGd</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1747089054179692605?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Illawarra has won 12 of its last 13 home games against the Taipans. Cairns’ only win in that run came in Round 13, NBL23. Their last victory prior to that was Round 4, NBL17 when Mark Worthington and Fuquan Edwin both scored 15 points en route to a 15-point win for the Taipans.