IF the Taipans finish the NBL regular season in the top four, they may well look back at Saturday night's 71-70 win in Adelaide as a crucial point in their season.

Just over a third of the way into the season, it’s too early to call it a crucial result.

But having spluttered their way to little more than 60 points in 47 minutes while converting only a third of their chances from the field, the Taipans looked headed for another loss until Darnell Mee’s last-minute lay-up pinched the game from the home side.

Outstanding defence was the Taipans’ saviour again, the Snakes allowing Adelaide just 11 points in the final term – the 36ers’ equal-worst fourth-quarter output in history.

After what coach Alan Black termed "ordinary offence" in the third quarter – which led to the Taipans only adding 12 points for the period – Cairns seemed to have little chance of bettering their 5-5 season record.

But with the deficit at the final break only eight points, Black felt it was a good sign his team could win if it could maintain defensive pressure.

Fittingly, it was a big defensive play which turned the match late, Dave Thomas stealing the ball for the Taipans to go on the attack.

Cairns missed its first shot attempt but Thomas (nine rebounds) came up with a crucial board, allowing Mee to steal the game with his last-gasp bucket.

"It was a good win," Black said.

"They’re tough at home.

"We didn’t play very good offence but we were very good defensively."

Black had targeted rebounding as a key to countering Adelaide’s towering front court including 216cm centre Luke Schenscher and forwards Adam Ballinger (205cm) and David Cooper (206cm).

The Snakes did the job admirably, winning the rebound count 51-43 and restricting Schenscher and Ballinger to a combined total of 28 points.

"It’s an excellent effort particularly as we did it as a hard grind," Black said.

"We can look at that game now and discuss some of the stuff (we didn’t do well) but with a much more positive attitude than if we’d not got up."

The win arrested a three-game losing streak for the Taipans and pushed them back into the top four.

"You never want to go on a losing streak, so it was important to stop," Black said.

"We would have liked to do it last week at home (against Wollongong) but to do it on the road is good and now we’ve got a 50-50 (away) record again."

Aaron Grabau was among the Taipans’ best on Saturday, grabbing an equal match-high 17 points and setting the team’s defensive tone.

"He was really good for us," Black said.

"He played great defence on Aaron Bruce and made some tough baskets when we couldn’t get any."

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