Cairns Taipans

History

Early years (1999–2008)

The Taipans were founded in 1999, entering the National Basketball League (NBL) for the 1999–2000 NBL season. Led by head coach Rod Popp, the Taipans' debut season ended with a 2–26 record. The Taipans failed to qualify for the post-season in their first four seasons. In the 2003–04 NBL season, the Taipans defeated the Perth Wildcats 103–96 in an elimination final at the Cairns Convention Centre. In winning their first final, the Taipans moved on to the quarter-finals, where they were defeated 110–88 by the West Sydney Razorbacks. After missing the finals in 2004–05, the Taipans made three straight finals appearances between 2005–06 and 2007–08.

Financial difficulties (2008–2009)

In December 2008, the Taipans were placed into voluntary administration. As a result, coach Alan Black was sacked and imports Larry Abney and Dave Thomas were let go. The rest of the team had to agree to a blanket 45 per cent pay cut for the rest of the season. Less than 12 months later, the Taipans were again in financial trouble – at the time, the club was almost $350,000 over budget and had only recorded a profit in one of the previous four months. In response, Basketball Australia and Cairns Regional Council vowed to continue supporting the cash-strapped Taipans.

NBL Grand Finalists (2011; 2015)

The 2010–11 NBL season saw the Taipans reach their first NBL Grand Final series behind star trio Ron Dorsey, Ayinde Ubaka and Daniel Dillon. They faced the New Zealand Breakers and lost game one 85–67. In game two, they tied the series with an 85–81 double-overtime win. It marked the first time in NBL history a play-off match was decided in double overtime. After Breakers guard C. J. Bruton hit a three-pointer in the dying seconds of regulation to send the match into overtime, Dorsey responded with a three-pointer at the buzzer at the end of the first overtime to force the match into double overtime. With momentum on their side, the Taipans were able to finish out the match on top. The Breakers went on to win 71–53 in game three after import pair Ubaka and Dorsey shot 4-of-26 between them, as the Taipans finished the season as runners-up. Following the season, Dorsey, Ubaka and Dillon all left Cairns to join the Melbourne Tigers, each departing the Taipans after just one season.

The 2014–15 NBL season saw the Taipans clinch their first ever NBL minor premiership. They finished the regular season in first place with a 21–7 record, becoming the first regional team to finish on top of the ladder since the Geelong Supercats in 1984. The Taipans also made history by using the same starting five of Scottie Wilbekin (Point guard), Cameron Gliddon (Shooting guard), Stephen Weigh (Small forward), Alex Loughton (Power forward) and Matt Burston (Centre) all season. They went on to reach their second NBL Grand Final series, where they once again faced the New Zealand Breakers. Despite having home court advantage, the Taipans were defeated 86–71 in game one and 83–81 in game two. Breakers forward Ekene Ibekwe hit a game-winning fade-away shot in game two to clinch the series.

Honour roll

Season by season

Summary

Current roster

All-time roster

Main article: Cairns Taipans all-time roster

Retired jerseys

Notable past players

• AUS Shaun Bruce
• AUS Matt Burston
• AUS Martin Cattalini
• USA Torrey Craig
• USA Rob Edwards
• AUS Anthony Fisher
• AUS Cameron Gliddon
• AUS Aaron Grabau
• USA Devon Hall
• AUS Nathan Jawai
• NZL Phill Jones
• NZL Jarrod Kenny
• NZL Robert Loe
• AUS Alex Loughton
• BRA/USA Scott Machado
• AUS Darnell Mee
• AUS Mitchell McCarron
• AUS James Mitchell
• USA Tony Mitchell
• USA/AUS Andre Moore
• USA Cameron Oliver
• USA Kenny Payne
• NZL Tony Rampton
• USA/AUS Robert Rose
• AUS Dusty Rychart
• AUS Nathan Sobey
• AUS Clint Steindl
• AUS Anthony Stewart
• NZL Lindsay Tait
• AUS Marcus Timmons
• AUS Cameron Tragardh
• AUS Aaron Trahair
• USA Travis Trice
• USA Melo Trimble
• USA Ayinde Ubaka
• NZL Jarrad Weeks
• AUS Stephen Weigh
• AUS Jayson Wells
• AUS Scottie Wilbekin
• USA Jamar Wilson
• AUS Mark Worthington
• AUS Mitchell Young

References

References

1. Chalmers, Steve. (12 February 2015). "Year of the Taipan?". pickandroll.com.au.
2. (4 March 2004). "Taipans end Wildcats' season". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
3. (7 March 2004). "Pigs end Taipans' run". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
4. Davis, Sam. (11 December 2008). "Taipans to finish season but imports Abney and Thomas go". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
5. Davis, Sam. (16 December 2008). "Taipans coach Alan Black sacked". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
6. (19 December 2008). "Cairns Taipans import Larry Abney has spoken out against dumped coach Alan Black". The Australian.
7. Davis, Sam. (26 November 2009). "Snakes running out of venom: The Cairns Taipans in financial trouble again". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
8. Davis, Sam. (27 November 2009). "Basketball Australia and Cairns Regional Council vow to support cash-strapped Taipans". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
9. Wenzel, Murray. (5 March 2015). ""Like it was yesterday," Taipan Ronald Dorsey remembers his NBL grand final heroics in Cairns". CairnsPost.com.au.
10. (20 April 2011). "New Zealand Breakers on NBL title brink". Herald Sun.
11. (23 April 2011). "Breakers prepare for torrid Taipans attack". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
12. Schwarten, Evan. (24 April 2011). "Cairns Taipans force NBL Grand Final series decider in double overtime thriller". Herald Sun.
13. (25 April 2011). "Taipans halt Breakers in double overtime". The Australian.
14. (29 April 2011). "Breakers seal maiden NBL title". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
15. (22 February 2015). "Cairns Taipans claim NBL minor premiership with 81-77 win over New Zealand Breakers". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
16. (22 February 2015). "Cairns clinch NBL minor premiership". SBS.com.au.
17. (22 February 2015). "R20 Report: Wilbekin leads Taipans to historic finish". Taipans.com.
18. (12 March 2015). "Taipans brave in quest for first NBL Championship". NBL.com.au.