THE Taipans have lost the race for the signature of Mark Worthington with the Boomer reneging on an agreement with Cairns and deciding to stay in Melbourne.

Taipans officials were initially reluctant to name former South Dragon Worthington, saying only there had been a "disappointing situation" earlier this week.

But when asked directly if Worthington had backflipped after earlier agreeing to terms with Cairns, incoming Taipans coach Aaron Fearne confirmed the rumours.

"I would say you’re correct," Fearne said.

"We definitely had an agreement in place and pretty much were just doing what we needed to do (to make it official) and (he) did a total backflip which was very disappointing.

"So we’ll just have to move on."

A former Taipans Academy member before departing for college in the US, Worthington was thought to be keen to re-establish his link with former mentor Fearne given the Dragons’ – and Worthington’s longtime coach Brian Goorjian’s – departure from the NBL.

He said the Taipans would not spend time crying over spilt milk.

"I can sit here and complain and jump up and down and waste a lot of energy doing it (but) he did what he did and we know what happened and we just have to do what we can and go fill that spot with the best player we can go and get," Fearne said.

The Taipans will need to move quickly, with Basketball Australia yesterday announcing the schedule for the new season with the Taipans playing the Breakers in the first game of the year on September 24.

While the majority of the 28 fixtures (14 home/14 away) are played on Friday or Saturday, the Taipans also have seven Wednesday matches and three on Thursdays.

"Obviously with the late start to everything, the league trying to put a schedule together that kept everyone happy and games here and there is probably impossible," Fearne said.

"But every club tried to do the best they can and Basketball Australia and the NBL tried to do the best they can and the schedule is what it is and we’ll just have to go out and play."

And playing again is something everyone is looking forward to.

"I think everybody is — coaches, players, fans — it’s definitely been a pretty stressful four to five months not knowing if you’re in or out and we’ll be pumped and ready to go and play."

The Taipans are expected to make announcements on other players in the coming days.

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