Preview: Cairns vs Perth - Round 12, NBL24

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

The Taipans have won two straight games, but can the Wildcats ruin the Christmas cheer?

Tuesday, December 26 at 7:30pm AEDT | Cairns Convention Centre

Watch: Live on ESPN via Kayo - International viewership details
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Cairns defeated South East Melbourne earlier in Round 12, following tropical cyclone Jasper hitting the city. Adam Forde lauded the coming together of the community after the win.

Perth suffered a heart-breaking overtime loss to Melbourne on December 23. The Wildcats were outscored by eight points in the final quarter, before United won the overtime period by six.

The Taipans’ win over the Phoenix saw them earn their second consecutive win, for just the second time this season.

Adam Forde said he took a call from an NBA GM regarding Taran Armstrong in the immediate aftermath of the victory.

This game will be the second road game for the Wildcats over the Christmas period after their game against Melbourne on December 23.

Cairns
94-75 win over South East Melbourne
102-101 win over Brisbane
82-111 loss to New Zealand

Perth
103-109 loss to Melbourne
89-88 win over Tasmania
82-100 loss to Illawarra

Taran Armstrong
When Taran Armstrong signed for the Taipans in the off-season he was described as an unofficial second Next Star, alongside Bobi Klintman.

He endured a difficult start to the season due to a string of injuries, but the exciting young guard is starting to earn the praise he’s so deserving of, and coach Adam Forde has said he’s fielding calls from NBA sides around Armstrong’s personality and ability.

His four points and two assists against South East Melbourne don’t jump off the page, but his ability to lead Cairns’ second unit and keep the offence ticking over when the side’s stars are off the court is an intangible asset that other clubs around the competition would cherish.

There are some players whose contributions to the team go far beyond the stat sheet, and there is perhaps no player who personifies this more than Armstrong.

With his rise through the season so far, enjoy him while he’s in the NBL – because if he continues his current trajectory, he won’t be here for long.

“It’s interesting, the conversations I field throughout the week and even the one I just had in the changeroom with an unnamed GM of an NBA club – the common question we get asked it ‘what’s Taran’s work-rate and work ethic like?’. No issues there. The cool question they’re asking now is ‘do you think he could lead a second unit in an NBA team?’” – Adam Forde following the win over South East Melbourne.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Classy move by Taran Armstrong ?<br><br>Catch the action live on ESPN via Kayo ? <a href="https://t.co/yOALWcBhdN">pic.twitter.com/yOALWcBhdN</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1730509969534140546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Keanu Pinder
Is there a player who throws himself about with such reckless abandon in the NBL quite like Keanu Pinder? The star center seems to have little regard for his own personal safety when on the court, and his pure desire helps bring his team up along with him.

Pinder was obviously sore after the Wildcats’ defeat to Melbourne, which led to questions of his fitness to John Rillie in the post-match press conference.

That soreness always seems to come out just a little bit more after a loss, especially one that came in as heartbreaking fashion as an overtime game your side probably should have won.

The Taipans’ myriad of different center options will test just how fit Pinder is, but one thing is for sure – he’s going to leave everything he has out on the court, and admirably so.

“Keanu plays extremely hard, so the way he usually plays on long, extended minutes is tough. He did a great job for us tonight with his energy and effort.” – John Rillie following the defeat to Melbourne.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pinder on the putback!<br><br>Keanu Pinder rises up for the huge putback jam. <br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL</a> live on ESPN! ? <a href="https://t.co/rsA0KmLeVI">pic.twitter.com/rsA0KmLeVI</a></p>— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ/status/1735630655218999499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Tahjere McCall and Bul Kuol vs Bryce Cotton and Jordan Usher
Adam Forde called for Tahjere McCall and Bul Kuol to be given more praise for their on-ball defensive abilities, and it’s time to give the wing pair their flowers.

Kuol and McCall have established themselves as the most potent on-ball one-two punch in the competition, and although at least one of the pair tend to find themselves in foul trouble most nights, they’re a nightmare prospect for any team to deal with on the offensive end.

Between them they can guard any position on through four, and Kuol’s length and strength means he could probably do a job on a handful of fives in the competition if needed, but the pair will likely take on star guard Bryce Cotton and streaky scorer Jordan Usher against the Wildcats.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/CairnsTaipans?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CairnsTaipans</a> escape Brisbane with a W ?<br><br>Tahjere McCall starred with 25 points and is the Foot Locker Player of the Game ? <a href="https://t.co/k4TvS9OYm8">pic.twitter.com/k4TvS9OYm8</a></p>— NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1736284041790599530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

There’s no more than needs to be said about Cotton’s abilities on the offensive end. He’s once again made big strides towards the competition’s MVP award and continues to thrust his name in the conversation of the greatest import the NBL has ever seen.

Usher, on the other hand, has started to thrive in his role off the bench for Perth. In an overtime defeat to Melbourne where Perth’s offence too often looked to be ‘Cotton or bust’, Usher stepped up with a crucial 23 points to help guide Perth to an early lead.

While Cotton and Usher are the most likely pair to take a large portion of the offensive load for the Wildcats, Kristian Doolittle, Tai Webster and even Jesse Wagstaff have stepped up at different times in recent weeks. Big, burly centers excluded, it’s likely whoever gets hot will end up covered by one – or both – of McCall or Kuol.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Coach Rillie was full of praise for Bryce Cotton post-game.<br><br>Watch the full presser: <a href="https://t.co/8rJJwC1eXC">https://t.co/8rJJwC1eXC</a> <a href="https://t.co/tWdHmgDsyf">pic.twitter.com/tWdHmgDsyf</a></p>— Perth Wildcats (@PerthWildcats) <a href="https://twitter.com/PerthWildcats/status/1738532735998955582?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Bul Kuol is the only Cairns player to have started every game this season for the Taipans. Adam Forde loves to chop and change his rotation to suit any situation, but his obvious trust in Kuol is both deserved and understandable.

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Bul Kuol.