THE Taipans may head into their first pre-season game without Ian Crosswhite, with the starting centre battling a quadriceps strain.

Crosswhite sat out the opening week of pre-season training last week and is likely to be sidelined for another week or two before joining the Taipans on court.

The injury blow is frustrating for the big man, who is eager to get back on court after successful surgery on his left wrist over the off-season.

"I came back a little too hard and I’ve partially torn my quad," Crosswhite said.

"I’ve got another couple of weeks on the sideline.

"It’s pretty frustrating too because I really wanted to do well this season.

"I’m up for a new contract at the end of the year, so I obviously wanted to have the best year possible and the best
preparation."

The Taipans started on-court work last week with imports Ayinde Ubaka and Arizona Reid joining the mix.

Crosswhite wants to be part of that mix and while frustrated at not being able to be on the floor, is excited at what the new season will bring.

"I want to be out there and be involved in what everyone’s doing," said Crosswhite, who missed much of the end of last season with the wrist injury.

"I miss just playing, I haven’t played in so long, it feels like.

"Everyone’s having such a good time out there and I think we have so much more talent than what we had last year, it will make it more enjoyable."

He said the Taipans’ off-season recruiting drive had been "great".

"Now it’s just getting us all to come together and see who’s going to sacrifice what, who’s going to do what it takes to win," he said.

"We don’t know where that’s going to go yet but everyone’s really positive, we think it’s going to be a really good year."

While he has to overcome the quad strain, Crosswhite is upbeat about the touch he has regained since having complicated surgery on his wrist.

"It’s getting stronger all the time and I’m really happy with how that went and the surgeon did a great job," he said of the reconstruction following major ligament damage to his left wrist.

"Because it was my left hand and I’m left handed, it was a pretty big thing for me that it was right.

"But I’m more than pleased with how it’s come back.

"I thought it would take a lot longer to get my shot back and get my touch back but that’s come back quite naturally."

The Snakes will not be left without a front court presence in the pre-season though, with forward Alex Loughton joining the group today fresh from his stint with the
Boomers.

The Taipans start their pre-season campaign with a match against Townsville on September 5, ahead of away games against the Crocs and Gold Coast and then NBL grand finalists Wollongong and the Gold Coast again at the pre-season Top End Challenge in Darwin next month.

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