THE Taipans have committed to fight out the final week of the season despite being unable to reach the NBL playoffs.

While Saturday night’s 93-88 loss to the Gold Coast, coupled with Adelaide’s win against New Zealand ended the Taipans’ hopes of a fairytale end to their annus horribilis, they have resolved to fight as hard in their final two fixtures of the season as if a finals place was on the line.

Head coach Mark Beecroft and senior player Gary Boodnikoff want to honour the terrific effort the Taipans have shown over the past month when they face the Breakers in New Zealand on Thursday and Saturday night’s final fixture of the season against the South Dragons.

"To finish it right is the message and to continue what we’ve been able to build in the last few weeks," Beecroft said after the weekend loss to the Gold Coast.

"I think for us to drop our heads now would be
disappointing.

"We go to New Zealand on Tuesday (ahead of Thursday’s game), we’ve had success there this year and we’ve got to turn this one around and put it behind us, finish it right."

Boodnikoff said after the faith the community had shown in the Taipans this season, the players owed it to fans to keep fighting.

"I think we need to. I think the community has shown their support for the Taipans now and I think we’ve got to go out and prove to them we’ve got what we need to finish the year off," Boodnikoff said.

"I think to go out and throw both of these games away would be a waste of the time that Denis (Donaghy) and the community have put into rebuilding for next year."

Cairns Basketball president Donaghy announced before Saturday night’s match the community funding model for the Taipans had received sufficient pledges to move forward with plans to buy the Taipans’ NBL licence from liquidators KPMG.

Boodnikoff, who pledged $1250 to the cause as part of a foundation membership syndicate, said the community support had been great to see.

"I know when Wollongong did theirs (last year) they raised about $300,000 and right now if we’ve got 140, that’s $700,000," he said.

"There’s not too many places in Australia that could raise that much money in the community to keep a team going, so it’s great to see that the town has come out to support us and it obviously shows that they want us to continue and they want this to happen next year."

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