25
Jan
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'Composed' Taipans dispatch 'Cats in double OT
Highlights
In just 48 hours, Cairns roll two of the best teams in NBL25
- Taipan Sam Waardenburg has 24 points, nine boards and nine assists
- Loss hurts Perth Wildcats goal of top two finish
- Taipans second shock win in 48 hours
Instant classic. Cairns Taipans shocked the Perth Wildcats 125-116 in a double-overtime (Game Centre) NBL25 round 18 thriller at RAC Arena on Saturday, January 25, 2025.
The cellar-dwelling Taipans, playing their second game in 48 hours and without key player Taran Armstrong, defied the odds to hand the Wildcats their most crushing defeat of the season, sending them tumbling to fifth place in the NBL standings.
"I've lost count of how many times we've led at half-time, especially during that 15-game losing streak, and lost," Cairns head coach Adam Forde said.
"The third quarter we went away from the game plan. We weathered the storm, stayed composed and focused."
The Taipans, fresh off an upset victory against the Illawarra Hawks just two days prior, showed no signs of fatigue as they stormed out to a 56-47 halftime lead.
Rob Edwards led the charge with 15 first-half points, finishing with a team-high 30 for the night. However, the Wildcats, spurred on by a raucous home crowd, roared back in the third quarter, outscoring Cairns 35-17 to take a nine-point lead into the final frame.
What ensued was a back-and-forth battle that saw multiple lead changes and clutch shots from both sides.
The Taipans clawed their way back, forcing overtime on a Pedro Bradshaw put-back in the dying seconds of regulation.
The drama continued through two overtime periods, with Cairns ultimately prevailing behind strong performances from Sam Waardenburg (24 points, nine rebounds, nine assists) and Tanner Groves (22 points, six rebounds).
The stats tell the tale of a hard-fought contest. The Taipans shot an impressive 47% from the field compared to the Wildcats' 35%. Perth's struggles were epitomised by star guard Bryce Cotton, who despite scoring a game-high 38 points, required 37 shots to do so, including a tough 5-from-21 from three-point range.
The Wildcats' usually crisp ball movement was also absent, as they managed just 14 assists as a team.
The loss leaves Perth in a precarious position, having fallen to fifth place in the tightly contested NBL standings.
They'll look to right the ship next Friday when they host the South East Melbourne Phoenix, before a crucial road clash with the Sydney Kings on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Taipans will aim to build on their momentum as they travel to face the New Zealand Breakers next Saturday.
As the NBL season enters its crucial latter stages, this double-overtime classic may well be remembered as a turning point for both clubs.
