SOUTH Dragons coach Brian Goorjian has warned his players they are up against a top three team ahead of their National Basketball League clash with the Cairns Taipans tomorrow night.
Feeling "excited" about the season ahead despite having had little time to recover from a draining Olympic Games campaign and a bout of bronchitis, the Australian Boomers coach yesterday said the Taipans were a formidable foe.
Goorjian said tomorrow night’s opponents at the Cairns Convention Centre appeared stronger than last year’s outfit whose campaign was cruelled by injuries.
View picture gallery of Cairns Taipans' new dance squad.
"When the season finished last year I thought the Taipans were one of the most talented teams in the competition," Goorjian said yesterday.
"I’m sure the season wasn’t what they’d hoped for in the end and when they lost Nathan Jawai I thought it would be a concern to them (for this season)."
Goorjian said the situation no longer seemed so dire for the Taipans who were among a number of teams who had benefited from the demise of the Brisbane Bullets, Sydney Kings and Shanghai Slingers franchises.
He said footage he had seen of the recent Queensland Cup matches showed that new recruits Ian Crosswhite and Dave Thomas and rookie Kerry Williams were already in impressive form.
"They’ve got Crosswhite and I didn’t know the Williams kid was as good as what I’ve seen of him on tape."
He said the Taipans appeared to be well advanced in their preparations and the Dragons would have to concentrate on shutting down the home side’s transitions and shooters and deal with the Snakes’ player depth.
Don't miss your 8-page Taipans season preview in The Cairns Post tomorrow.
