Preview: Illawarra vs Cairns - Round 5, NBL24

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

The Taipans are back on home soil for some NBL action, but can the Hawks spoil the homecoming and earn a much-needed win?

Thursday, October 26 at 7:30pm AEDT | WIN Entertainment Centre

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

It’s almost panic stations in Illawarra after the Hawks have slumped back to the bottom of the ladder, following on from their forgettable run in NBL23.

Jacob Jackomas has implied he will shorten the rotation heading into Round 5 and issued a challenge to his players, saying if someone plays poorly it makes his job easier.

The Taipans will return to the NBL court for the first time since their NBLxNBA tour.

*NBLxNBA games included for Cairns

Illawarra
91-101 loss to Melbourne
80-89 loss to Adelaide
73-103 loss to Tasmania

Cairns
93-134 loss to Toronto
82-145 loss to Washington
89-86 win over Brisbane

AJ Johnson
The season endured by Next Star AJ Johnson so far in NBL24 has been a strange one. The potential first-round pick had his pre-season disrupted by a broken nose and has struggled to receive consistent burn on the court, but in the team that currently sits bottom of the ladder, he’s struggling to receive opportunity to show what he can do.

Make no mistake, this kid can play. He came on against Melbourne and hit a delicious stepback three ,before converting a tough contested layup that sent him to the line for an extra shot.

And then he sat for basically the rest of the game.

Before his breakout 23-point performance, Trentyn Flowers showed similar signs to what AJ Johnson is now, and that’s a willingness to work in his limited time on court to earn more opportunity.

That’s not to say Johnson is nailed on to score 18 points in a quarter this week, but the signs are there for him to really establish himself as a key point of difference for the Hawks – he just needs to be trusted to get the job done.

“I don’t know what’s going on with the rotations, I don’t understand who they’re playing. At this point play that young kid (Johnson), let him run up and down the court a little bit – he did a couple of good things in that game and then he wasn’t seen again. I don’t know what’s going on and some changes need to be made.” – Derek Rucker on the Hawks on Moments That Mattered.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">How's that for a spark off the bench. AJ Johnson hits a pretty stepback with his first touch of the game ?<br><br>Catch the action live on ESPN via Kayo ? <a href="https://t.co/ZnxYr5HPdK">pic.twitter.com/ZnxYr5HPdK</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1715295295892820315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Akoldah Gak
After spending most of last season riding the pine for Illawarra, Akoldah Gak seems to have made the most of his opportunities under Adam Forde in the early stages of the NBL24 calendar.

He impressed prior to the Taipans’ NBLxNBA series, but illness suffered by bigs Sam Waardenburg and Sam Mennenga and injury to Josh Roberts opened the door for him to test himself against the likes of Daniel Gafford, Pascal Siakim and Chris Boucher, and he acquitted himself well.

Gak added 17 points and nine boards against the Wizards, in a game where he was Cairns’ only legitimate big.

Waardenburg, Mennenga and Roberts are all expected to play in Cairns’ NBL return on Thursday so Gak will likely return to the bench, but he’s got runs on the board – and who better to impress against than your former side?

“I’m just trying to carry the momentum I had, keep confidence in myself and keep trusting my ability to shoot and make plays for myself and for other people.” - AK Gak following the NBLxNBA clash with Washington.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BOBI ? AK<br>Gak SLAMS it after the inside pass from Klintman!<br><br>? <a href="https://twitter.com/CairnsTaipans?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cairnstaipans</a> | ? <a href="https://twitter.com/kayosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kayosports</a> <a href="https://t.co/weBb8O1uH7">pic.twitter.com/weBb8O1uH7</a></p>— Cairns Taipans (@CairnsTaipans) <a href="https://twitter.com/CairnsTaipans/status/1711907275609440381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Bul Kuol vs Tyler Harvey
With Tahjere McCall a likely omission from Cairns’ lineup due to his presence in the United States for the birth of his first child, somebody is going to have to step up and help cover both the defensive intensity and scoring threat the 29-year-old brings to Adam Forde’s side.

While it will likely take an effort by committee to help cover for the absence of such an important player, keep and eye on Bul Kuol for an expanded offensive role – and perhaps a different position in the lineup – in McCall’s absence.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">That is vintage Tyler Harvey ?<br><br>Can he pull the Hawks back into this one?<br><br>Catch the last quarter live on ESPN via Kayo ? <a href="https://t.co/40zoswVyPh">pic.twitter.com/40zoswVyPh</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1715309752022970462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

With his size and length Kuol can lay claim to playing anywhere between the two and four positions, and he might slide down into a more ball-heavy roll, should McCall not play.

If that happens his opponent – on both ends of the floor – will likely be Tyler Harvey, and the Illawarra star has struggled to positively impact his side’s proceedings so far this season.

It may sound like something of a broken record, but no matter how Harvey might be playing his ability to break the game open and basically win a clash single-handedly is only ever a couple of made shots away.

Kuol is an exceptional – if slightly foul-happy – defender, and he’ll need to be on his game to ensure Harvey’s slump continues.

Bul Kuol against the Toronto Raptors.