Taipans slip up again
THE Taipans head to Melbourne today trying to avoid brooding over their fifth NBL loss in the past six games.
Cairns lost 86-78 to Perth on Saturday, watching an 18-point third-quarter lead dissolve as the Wildcats fought their way back into the game with a barnstorming finish.
It is the third time in little over two weeks that the Taipans have let a final-quarter lead slip and Black admitted the team needed to be better finishers.
"Obviously it’s a big part of the sport and we just have to find a way to get it done," Black said.
The Taipans’ positive attitude and aggressive nature in the first half impressed the coach but there were a number of things they "just didn’t quite get done".
Black said the Taipans had the chance to go to the final break with a big lead and even with 90 seconds to go the game was up for grabs.
"Halfway through the third we were up 18 and playing very well," he said.
"There was probably a period there where we gave them, I thought, three or four fairly easy baskets and then they were able to get (the margin) back to six at three-quarter time and felt pretty good about themselves at that point and pushed on in the last
quarter.
"It was disappointing. It was one game I felt we probably should have won."
The Taipans’ defence held up for the most part and while they were overhauled, their offensive structure in the last quarter was better than it has been recently.
Black said with four players – Martin Cattalini (17), Gary Boodnikoff (12), Larry Abney (12) and Ian Crosswhite (10) – in double figures and another couple close to it, all was not doom and gloom.
"But you’ve got to start winning. We’ve just got to start winning some games," he said.
The Taipans travel to Melbourne today after spending yesterday recuperating in Perth.
Black said they would move on to Wednesday’s clash with the Tigers with a positive attitude.
"You’ve got to get away from that," he said of dwelling on the past.
"You’ve got to bounce back quicker than that, you’ve got to move forward. We’ve still got to diagnose what’s going on but we’ve still got to move on and tackle the next team."
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On the back foot: Cairns Taipan Larry Abney (right) does his best to stop charging Wildcat Shawn Redhage while (inset) Darnell Mee is left high and dry as Peter Crawford drives to the basket on his home court.
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