'Slither 'me timbers!' Snakes stun Hawks (again)

• Taipans snap 10-game home losing streak
• Rod Edwards has 22 points in six-point win
• Taipans stay in the NBL Summer Shootout lead

Cairns Taipans shocked the NBL world — again.

The Snakes toppled league leaders Illawarra Hawks 100-94 (Game Centre) at the Cairns Convention Centre in Round 18 on Thursday, January 2025.

Cairns not only defended their home court, they defended their NBL Summer Shootout lead (111 points) because the Hawks had chosen this clash as their $50,000 road game. It is also the second straight time the Taipans have rolled the league leaders, beating them 108-105 in a wild finish in Illawarra on January 3, 2025.

"They keep showing up and we could really feel the energy from the crowd," Taipans coach Adam Forde said.

"It was great for the crowd to get involved, to cheer and to have something to go home feeling good about."

The Snakes, who had been mired in a 10-game home losing streak, outworked and out-hustled the Hawks to secure their first victory on home soil since October 4th.

They set the tone early, racing out to a 31-17 lead after the first quarter on the back of relentless effort and intensity. They continued to build their advantage, stretching it to a commanding 22 points in the third quarter.

However, the Hawks, true to their top-of-the-table form, mounted a furious comeback. A barrage of three-pointers by Todd Blanchfield and Tyler Harvey erased the deficit entirely, knotting the score at 82-82 with just 5:40 remaining.

But the Snakes refused to wilt under the pressure. Led by Rob Edwards' 22 points and a balanced team effort, Cairns steadied themselves and closed out the game with an 18-12 run. The victory was a testament to the Taipans' dominance on the glass, where they out-rebounded the Hawks 27-19 in the first half alone and finished with an overwhelming 19 offensive rebounds.

The stat sheet painted a clear picture of Cairns' superior effort. The Taipans dished out 13 assists to Illawarra's single helper in the first half, forced eight turnovers, and earned 34 free throw attempts to the Hawks' 17. Perhaps most telling was Illawarra's assist total — after recording a season-high 37 against Brisbane just days earlier, the Hawks managed a paltry 12 for the entire game against Cairns.

Rob Edwards was the standout performer for the Taipans, pouring in 22 points before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. The import guard added four rebounds and three assists in a gutsy performance.

Fellow import Pedro Bradshaw contributed across the board with 17 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, while Sam Waardenburg chipped in 18 points and six boards.

The loss was a missed opportunity for the Hawks to extend their lead atop the NBL ladder.

Despite 17 points apiece from Tyler Harvey and Todd Blanchfield — the latter catching fire with five three-pointers in the fourth quarter — Illawarra was left to rue their slow start and lack of intensity.

"I guess it was our effort levels and we just didn't match their intensity," Hawks coach Justin Tatum said.

"Cairns did a good job of just playing tough basketball that we didn't match."

The Taipans face a quick turnaround and the league's longest road trip as they travel to face Bryce Cotton and Perth Wildcats on Saturday, January 25, 2025.

Meanwhile, the Hawks will look to regroup before taking on the Tasmania JackJumpers next Thursday. With the playoffs looming, both teams will be eager to build momentum in the season's closing stages.