Snakes fire early to upset Melbourne United again

The Cairns Taipans have completed their first ever season sweep over Melbourne United with a 97-88 home win over the misfiring title favourites.

Tahjere McCall starred as the Taipans repeatedly poked holes in United's usually watertight defence, posting a third-straight win over their rivals in Friday's dead rubber.

Cairns were in control with a 77-54 lead at three-quarter time on their home court but were forced to withstand a late Melbourne comeback.

United reduced the deficit to just four points midway through the final period before Patrick Miller iced the game from the foul line in the dying seconds.

McCall shone with 23 points and nine rebounds for Cairns, while fellow import Miller (20, eight) was also important.

Melbourne missed their first 17 three-point attempts and didn't make one until Matthew Dellavedova broke the drought early in the final quarter.

The visitors finished 4-of-26 from beyond the arc and also struggled from the free-throw line in the first half (3-of-10).

Ian Clark (20 points) and Ariel Hukporti (15) gave plenty off the bench for United, while Dellavedova (16) and Luke Travers (10, 13 rebounds) fought to the end.

Cairns' three best performances of the campaign have all come against United, with impressive scores of 115, 95 and 97 in their wins over the ladder leaders.

Those showings gave a glimpse of what Cairns have been capable of, but their 12-16 record wasn't enough for a Finals berth.

Melbourne (19-8) have another chance to tune up for the post-season when they host the fourth-placed Illawarra Hawks (14-13) on Sunday.

HUNGRY JACK'S NBL ROUND 20

CAIRNS TAIPANS 97 (McCall 23, Miller 20, Roberts 12, Armstrong 12)

MELBOURNE UNITED 88 (Clark 20, Dellavedova 16, Hukporti 15)

BOX SCORE