Taipans Topple Expectations in Four Game Winning Run

Four games. Eight days. Injured star. Cairns’ recent run of congested fixtures without Keanu Pinder threatened to be a death knell on the side’s top two hopes, however after winning all four contests they’ve surged back into contention at the top of the ladder.

Following their strong nine-point win over South East Melbourne the Taipans have moved to 14-7 for the season – a far cry from their 9-19 record in NBL22.

With their next game not coming until Friday, head coach Adam Forde says he’s once again proud of how his side has stepped up in Pinder’s absence.

“It was great to see guys get the result they deserved,” Forde said of his side’s most recent victory.

“It wasn’t without its challenges, we found ourselves down again, the offence got a little bit stagnant in the third, [we] played a little but passive in the fourth.

“When you reflect on that this was probably our best shooting night in a while, and to do that off the back of this eight-day road trip … I’m looking forward do a day off.”

The Taipans will expect to go from strength to strength on Pinder’s return – and he could find himself back in the line-up as soon as this week’s clash with Illawarra.

Every member of the Cairns roster has stepped up in their star players’ absence, but none more than Sam Waardenburg who has borne the brunt of the rebounding expectation while playing the centre position.

Waardenburg says he’s enjoyed testing himself against the bigger, stronger bodies of traditional centres.

“Going against high-level, high-talent players – Baynes the other night, Williams tonight, guys who are at the peak of physicality in this game … I enjoy the matchups.

“Obviously I’m a little lighter and a little skinnier but I enjoy it. I’ve been doing it my whole career as an undersized big man."

Forde is hoping Waardenburg can continue his improved play once Pinder slots back into the line-up.

"The cool thing is where we’ve improved without Keanu. Then with Keanu coming back we’re going to be better for it,” Forde said.

“Early in the season I was getting at Sam on multiple occasions about finishing the game with three or four rebounds, he had 11 and nine against Illawarra, 24 and seven against Brisbane and now tonight another seven rebounds.

“He’s going to keep doing that when Keanu’s back and we’re going to be better for it.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Look out below! ?<br>Waardenburg THROWS it DOWN!!<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/0ZoiwhzZSB">pic.twitter.com/0ZoiwhzZSB</a></p>&mdash; Cairns Taipans (@CairnsTaipans) <a href="https://twitter.com/CairnsTaipans/status/1611974634005753856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Tahjere McCall took his defensive game to the next level against South East Melbourne. The guard went toe-to-toe with in-form forward Mitch Creek in the hopes of curbing his influence on proceedings.

While Creek still finished with a game-high 25 points, McCall himself finished with 24 in what was an offensively charged and assertive matchup on both ends of the floor.

Forde says the versatility McCall brings on defence is just one of many intangibles he provides.

“We put him on Harvey against Illawarra, then we put him on Sobey (against Brisbane), and then we put him on Creek,” Forde said.

“He can defend multiple positions and his energy is contagious amongst the group. It starts on the defensive end and it trickles down to the whole group.

“He’s smart too – I don’t sub him out anymore. We don’t go ‘he’s got two early fouls, lets bring him out’. I keep rolling with it because he’s smart enough to pick and choose his battles.

“I’m on the Tahj bandwagon every week.”