Preview: Tasmania v Cairns

When: 7.30pm (AEDT), Monday 3 October 2022
Where: MyState Bank Arena, Hobart
Broadcast: ESPN; Kayo; Foxtel; Sky Sport NZ

Who won last time?

Tasmania 87 (McVeigh 16, Magette 13, McIntosh 11) d Cairns 80 (Jawai 17, McCall 14, Deng 13, Pinder 13) – Round 19, NBL22 at MyState Bank Arena, Hobart

The JackJumpers recovered a 10-point third quarter deficit thanks to a three-point barrage, hitting 7/14 in a withering 11-minute burst surrounding three-quarter-time to jump 14 points clear and put the contest to bed. They shot 7/30 from range over the rest of the contest, but their 16 o-boards and 18-6 second chance points advantage took care of the rest.

 

What’s new?

The JackJumpers new import duo didn’t look much chop early on debut against South East Melbourne, but they sure found their feet. Rashard Kelly finished with 18 points, five o-boards and a world of hustle as he showed off his athletic versatility, while swingman Milton Doyle added 13 points at 54 per cent and six assists to confirm he is an extra play-maker for the JJs.

There is plenty of x-factor about the Taipans’ recruits. Most of the league had interest in versatile Kiwi big man Sam Waardenburg, who along with import shooter DJ Hogg should stretch opposition defences. Shannon Scott comes in as a steady head alongside the unpredictable Tahjere McCall, while Jonah Antonio adds much-needed shooting on the wings.

 

What’s working?

Threes & o-boards – Just as the JackJumpers destroyed Cairns in their last meeting, so they almost pinched a memorable comeback over the Phoenix on opening night. Tassie dropped 12 triples at 44 per cent – with Jack McVeigh and Sean Macdonald hitting 7/10 – and grabbed 17 offensive rebounds from 44 misses. With seven JJs hitting a triple and the same number pulling in at least one o-board, these are the key scouting areas for Cairns.

DJ Hogg – The Snakes’ new power forward averaged 19.5ppg at the Blitz on 10/22 shooting from deep, including 24 in 26 minutes against Tasmania. This was no fluke either, the 26-year-old shooting 52 per cent from the field and 45 per cent from deep in the tough France Jeep Elite league last season, numbers the ultra-efficient Daniel Kickert would be proud of.

 

What needs to be stopped?

Penetration – It was the JackJumpers’ achilles heel going in and it ultimately cost them an opening-night victory. South East Melbourne shot 54 per cent from two-point range and went to the foul line 29 times on Saturday, outscoring the visitors 60-43 from ‘ones and twos’. If Cairns’ shooters can spread the floor, can the JackJumpers keep McCall and Co out of the lane?

Cough-ups – It’s no coincidence the Snakes ranked a distance seventh for defensive rating in NBL22 and also had the equal-highest turnover percentage. That poor decision-making hurt again in the Blitz, coughing up 17 turnovers per game and giving up 91.7ppg, including 24ppg from miscues. They can’t afford to give the low-scoring JJs cheap points on Monday.

 

Who’s matching up?

Milton Doyle v Tahjere McCall – This is a matchup of contrasting styles, with Doyle too passive if anything early in his first game before coming to life in the second half when asked to create more. McCall, on the other hand, never dies wondering, averaging 5.5 assists and 3.6 turnovers in his first NBL season and finishing it with a stunning 40-point performance. Can Tahj be more efficient this year, and can Doyle give more punch early in game two?

Rashard Kelly v Keanu Pinder – This is a matchup of two like-minded individuals, who believe every shot is a pass off the rim to them. Kelly was all energy on Saturday but was more effective once he settled, which was the story of Pinder’s NBL22 season. The league’s MIP averaged a remarkable 17.3ppg and 10.1rpg in the final eight games and, judging by his lone, 21-point Blitz appearance against Perth, is ready to pick up where he left off.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">On the ?<a href="https://twitter.com/CairnsTaipans?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CairnsTaipans</a> big man Keanu Pinder is your Most Improved Player<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheGazeys?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheGazeys</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPNAusNZ</a> + <a href="https://twitter.com/kayosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kayosports</a> ? <a href="https://t.co/QkkXwcWBf8">pic.twitter.com/QkkXwcWBf8</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1519237985731981312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Who’s saying what?

The Cairns Taipans have some serious speed, athleticism and energy in their NBL23 squad, and the rest of the league knows about it.

“I really like the team that Fordey’s put together with a lot of young, lively guys over there and they’ll be a handful if they're healthy,” JackJumpers coach Scott Roth said.

In Keanu Pinder and Tahjere McCall they have two of the most dangerous open-court players in the league who can dominate on any given night.

In Majok Deng, Sam Waardenburg and DJ Hogg they have three bigs capable of stretching the defence as well as putting the ball on the floor.

In Mirko Djeric and Bul Kuol they have a pair of genuine shooters at the two and three, Kuol having set the NBL rookie record for made triples in a season last year.

Add to that energetic combo guard Ben Ayre and there is plenty of talent, but what the Snakes also have is a lot of the great unknown.

They failed to claim a victory at the Blitz, and rarely came close to fielding the lineups that will be their norm during the season.

“I know, results wise, on face value we walked away 0-3, but the reality was we had a lot of guys on minutes plans as we ease them back into it,” coach Adam Forde said.

“We took it with an opportunity to rotate deep into the bench and give guys ample minutes to fight for minutes in the regular season.

“The boys were professional … when we got on the training floor or in the gym we worked hard, got better, and all in all for the Blitz it was a good result.”

Last season was not a good result, a horror run of injuries mixed with a roster filled with varying playing styles meant Forde’s men never getting going.

Were they a fast-paced athletic frontcourt with Deng and Pinder, or a grind-it-out, post-up team with Nate Jawai and Stephen Zimmerman?

Were they a controlled team under Scott Machado and Jarrod Kenny’s watch, or the all-out attack McCall embodies?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tahj protects the rock at all costs! ? <br><br>Amazing dime, amazing dunk as McCall finds Pinder.<a href="https://twitter.com/215tahj?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@215tahj</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/KeanuPinder28?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KeanuPinder28</a> <a href="https://t.co/jW4uB1VFCr">pic.twitter.com/jW4uB1VFCr</a></p>&mdash; Cairns Taipans (@CairnsTaipans) <a href="https://twitter.com/CairnsTaipans/status/1515282940699164675?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This season, their lineup is clearly the latter, but it is also inexperienced.

“We’ve gone younger and faster, but our youthful exuberance may also experience some teachable bumps in the journey,” coach Forde said.

For that reason, perhaps one of their most low-key signings holds the key. American point guard Shannon Scott doesn’t have much of note on his CV, but his reputation is a strong defender, a cool head and a great decision-maker.

“This is where Shannon comes into play,” Forde said.

“Shannon has built a reputation for himself as a defensive-minded, pass first leader that operates on a high-level of thinking. These qualities were important to us.”

While he may not rack up big numbers, Forde is banking on him being the glue that sticks his athletic roster together.

“We’ve done multiple character checks for Shannon as we continue to seek like-minded individuals,” he said.

“One of his G League coaches referred to him as a calculated stockbroker. We also contacted Bamberg and they said he was a coach on the court that put the team ahead of himself.”

Of course, with Scott and four other Taipans making their NBL debuts on Monday night, there is going to be some growing pains as they adjust to the league.

The JackJumpers lived through that with new imports Milton Doyle and Rashard Kelly in Melbourne on Saturday, before the pair clicked teaming up in on-ball situations in the second half to almost drag their team home.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">KELLY ? for the 2 hand slammm. Watch live on ESPN via Kayo and Foxtel <a href="https://t.co/O5HFVuIZue">pic.twitter.com/O5HFVuIZue</a></p>&mdash; Tasmania JackJumpers ? (@JackJumpers) <a href="https://twitter.com/JackJumpers/status/1576143684374233090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“It was obviously their first official taste of a game at this level, being here in this environment,” coach Scott Roth said.

“The Blitz is a little bit different animal than one of these games, and I thought they responded well in the second half.”

The whole Tassie team responded well after playing hesitant in the opening two stanzas, and they now have the advantage of having a fierce contest under their belt.

There is no question they will need to fix their interior defence, however, or else the athletic Snakes will slither on in like the Phoenix did.

“Having them go to the line 29 times and 15 offensive rebounds was a factor, I thought they were just more relentless,” Roth said on Saturday.

It exposed the hole Will Magnay leaves in this lineup at the defensive end, one that was largely filled in the back-end of last season by forcing turnovers, offensive rebounding and perimeter shooting.

Stand-in captain Jarrad Weeks knows his team must do likewise and quickly to avoid falling behind the eight-ball, given they open the season with six games in 16 days.

“Obviously we’d like to have Mags in the squad but the reality is he’s still a month (away), maybe more, we’re not too sure,” Weeks said.

“We miss more than just his rebounding, his leadership out there, he’s very good at keeping guys accountable, he’s a very physical player so he brings a lot to our team and we've got to try and fill that hole.”