Play-offs on the radar
TAIPANS forward Dwayne Vale concedes his side cannot afford any more losses if it wants to have a presence in this season's NBL play-offs.
The Taipans head into tomorrow night’s match against the Sydney Spirit at the Cairns Convention Centre with a 6-11 win-loss record and on the back of a confidence-battering six-game losing streak.
Many predicted the Taipans had the list to challenge for the premiership before the season started but Vale said another loss would just about end the club’s title hopes.
"In saying that, we’re only a win out of fifth place. That’s just the way the season is going so far," he said.
"But we don’t want to lose any more. We’re sick of losing. It’s disgusting. You go home and that’s all you think about.
"You try and get your mind off it but it’s so frustrating. You get so down about it that each week turns into a grind.
"In saying that, the boys have been really good, came out and trained really hard today and Friday night for us, we have to get it done."
Despite the Spirit’s off-court financial troubles, the Sydneysiders are shaping as tough opponents and are rolling along on a three-game winning streak.
It is still unknown whether Derrick Low and Julian Khazzouh will take the court for the visitors but the Taipans have their own injury worries to distract them.
Point guard Darnell Mee has been receiving cortisone injections in his ankle but is expected to be fit, while import Dave Thomas is still three weeks away after suffering a medial ligament injury against the Dragons.
But Vale said the Taipans had no excuse for their current predicament.
"Sometimes when you lose six or seven straight you lose confidence and even the small things weigh on your mind," he said.
"But we’ve got the right kind of mixture to know how to win. We’ve got veteran guys that have won championship after championship, we’ve got younger guys that have gone through Australian programs and you’ve got young enthusiastic guys.
"We’ve got the right mix, we just have to go out and do it."
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Aiming up: Cairns Taipan Dwayne Vale says the Taipans are training hard to turn the season around.
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