Crosswhite may return
LESS than 72 hours after the Taipans' final match of a tumultuous season, Ian Crosswhite was on the road out of Cairns.
Crosswhite has been the victim of a club collapse twice in the past two seasons and could be forgiven for wanting to get as far away as possible from what he might consider bad memories. But that’s not the case, with the centre indicating there was a chance he could be back in Taipans colours again if the Snakes win entry into the "new NBL".
Picture gallery: Cairns Taipans
"It’s still up in the air – if it’s the right situation … I’m still talking to people in Cairns," he said last night.
Crosswhite, 26, will play the ABA season with Hume City Broncos in Victoria’s Big V competition and left Cairns yesterday with partner Anna and new daughter Helena. But Crosswhite’s vexed season seemed destined to continue for a while at least, with his car overheating before the family reached Townsville yesterday.
The road trip will give him time to mull over his future.
With the Taipans’ future looking dim at the time the club was placed into voluntary administration last December, Crosswhite suggested he should pack in basketball and get a "real job".
Crosswhite estimated at the time he would lose about $50,000 in just over 12 months after the collapse of the Sydney Kings and agreeing to a 45 per cent pay cut with the Taipans.
But with the possibility of the Taipans playing in next season’s league looking brighter, Crosswhite said the door was in "no way" shut on a return.
"I started to enjoy the last couple of games we had," he said. "(But) I couldn’t give a definite answer. I’m talking to ‘DD’ (Taipans president Denis Donaghy) and those people.
"We’ll talk more and see what kind of team we can put together. If it comes off, we’ll see what happens."
Crosswhite was one of the Taipans’ best this season, averaging 10.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game as well as winning NBL player of the week honours in round 13.
Despite the hard times, Crosswhite said he would look on his time in the Far North fondly.
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