The Cairns Taipans are an Australian professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

team based in

Cairns Cairns (, ) is a city in Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. The population in June 2019 was 153,952, having grown on average 1.02% annually over the preceding five years. The city is the 5th-most-p ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

. The Taipans compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at the

Cairns Convention Centre The Cairns Convention Centre is a convention and entertainment centre in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. The venue was selected the World's Best Congress Centre in 2004 and 2014. Description The centre has a floor space of on a site in the Ca ...

, known colloquially as "The Snakepit". The Taipans are the only

not-for-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

club left in the league.

History

Early years (1999–2008)

The Taipans were founded in 1999, entering the National Basketball League (NBL) in place of the outgoing

Newcastle Falcons Newcastle Falcons is a rugby union team that play in Premiership Rugby, England's highest division of rugby union. The club was established in 1877 as the Gosforth Football Club. Around 1882 the club merged with the Northumberland Football Cl ...

for the 1999/2000 season. Led by head coach Rod Popp, the Taipans made their debut with a dismal 2–26 season record. The Taipans failed to qualify for the post-season in their first four seasons. In 2003/04, the Taipans played finals basketball for the first time. On 3 March 2004, the Taipans defeated the

Perth Wildcats The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team based in Perth, Western Australia. The Wildcats compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at RAC Arena, known colloquially as "The Jungle". Afte ...

103–96 in an elimination final at the Cairns Convention Centre. In winning their first final, the Taipans moved on to the quarter-finals, where they were defeated 110–88 by the

West Sydney Razorbacks The West Sydney Razorbacks (known in its final season as the Sydney Spirit) were an Australian professional basketball team that competed in the National Basketball League (NBL). The club was based in Sydney, New South Wales. They were the s ...

. After missing the finals in 2004/05, the Taipans made three straight finals appearances between 2005/06 and 2007/08.

Financial difficulties (2008–2009)

In December 2008, the Taipans were placed into voluntary administration. As a result, coach Alan Black was sacked and imports

Larry Abney Lawrence Abney (born May 19, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player and current player development coach/ basketball operations assistant for the Los Angeles Clippers. Born in Nyack, New York, he was nicknamed ''Birdman'' throu ...

and

Dave Thomas Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * Dave (film), ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * Dave (musical), ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital ...

were let go. The rest of the team had to agree to a blanket 45 per cent pay cut for the rest of the season. Less than 12 months later, the Taipans were again in financial trouble – at the time, the club was almost $350,000 over budget and had only recorded a profit in one of the previous four months. In response,

Basketball Australia Basketball Australia is the governing and controlling body of basketball in Australia, responsible for the development and promotion of the sport at all levels. Basketball Australia sanctions Australia's two professional leagues, the Nation ...

and Cairns Regional Council vowed to continue supporting the cash-strapped Taipans.

NBL Grand Finalists (2011; 2015)

The 2010/11 season saw the Cairns Taipans create history as they finished the regular season in third place with a 16–12 record and advanced through to the 2011 NBL Grand Final series, reaching the championship deciding round for the first time behind star trio Ron Dorsey,

Ayinde Ubaka Ayinde X. Ubaka (born February 9, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the California Golden Bears and spent seven seasons playing professionally overseas. High school career Ubaka attended ...

and Daniel Dillon. There they faced the

New Zealand Breakers The New Zealand Breakers (also known as the Sky Sport Breakers for sponsorship reasons) are a New Zealand professional basketball team based in Auckland. The Breakers compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at ...

, and after being thrashed in the series opener in

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

, going down 85–67, the Taipans responded in Game 2 at home. They notched up a nail-biting 85–81 double-overtime win against the Breakers to send the series into a decider. It marked the first time in NBL history a play-off match was decided in double overtime. Cairns had looked set for a three-point win in normal time before a three-pointer from Breakers guard

C. J. Bruton Calvin Thomas "C. J." Bruton Jr. (born 13 December 1975) is an American-Australian professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Adelaide 36ers of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He played the ma ...

in the dying seconds sent the match into overtime. However, revenge came five minutes later when Dorsey wiped out the Breakers' three-point lead with no time to spare to force the match into double overtime. With momentum on their side, the Taipans were able to finish out the match on top. Dorsey's miraculous long three-pointer to send the game into double overtime has a special place in the club's history. The Breakers went on to win the 2010/11 NBL Championship with a 71–53 win in the decisive Game 3 in Auckland. The Taipans lacked the same spark in Game 3, with import pair Ubaka and Dorsey shooting 4-of-26 between them. Despite ultimately losing the series, Dorsey's heroics in Game 2 went down in Taipans folklore. During the 2011 off-season, the star trio of Dorsey, Ubaka and Dillon all left Cairns to play for the

Melbourne Tigers Melbourne United is an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. United compete in the National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at John Cain Arena. The team made their debut in the NBL in 1984 as ...

, each departing the Taipans after just one season. As a result, over the ensuing three seasons, the Taipans failed to return to the finals. In February 2015, the Taipans clinched their first ever NBL minor premiership. They finished the 2014/15 regular season in first place with a 21–7 record, marking the first time since the now defunct

Geelong Supercats Geelong Supercats is a NBL1 South club based in Geelong, Victoria. The club fields a team in both the Men's and Women's NBL1 South. The club is affiliated with Basketball Geelong and Geelong United Basketball. The Supercats play their home gam ...

in 1984, that a regional team has topped the regular season log. The Taipans also made history by using the same starting five of

Scottie Wilbekin Scottie Jordan Wilbekin (born April 5, 1993) is an American-born naturalized Turkish professional basketball player for Fenerbahçe Beko of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL) and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for the Flori ...

(

Point guard The point guard (PG), also called the one or the point, is one of the five Basketball positions, positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position. Point guards are expected to run t ...

), Cameron Gliddon (

Shooting guard The shooting guard (SG), also known as the two, two guard or off guard,Shooting guards are 6'3"–6'7"BBC Sports academy URL last accessed 2006-09-09. is one of the five traditional positions in a regulation basketball game. A shooting guard's m ...

Stephen Weigh Stephen Weigh (born 28 February 1987) is an Australian former professional basketball player who spent 10 seasons in the National Basketball League (Australia), National Basketball League (NBL). He started his NBL career in 2008 after a two-year ...

(

Small forward The small forward (SF), also known as the three or swingman, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers but taller, larger, and stronger t ...

), Alex Loughton (

Power forward The power forward (PF), also known as the four, is one of the five traditional Basketball positions, positions in a regulation basketball game. Traditionally, power forwards have played a role similar to center (basketball), centers. When on Of ...

) and

Matt Burston Matthew Burston (born 25 November 1982) is an Australian professional basketball player who last played for the Cairns Taipans of the National Basketball League (NBL). He has also played in the State Basketball League for the Perry Lakes Hawks ...

(

Centre Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricity ...

) all season. They went on to reach the 2015 NBL Grand Final series, where they once again faced the New Zealand Breakers. Despite having home court advantage, the Taipans were defeated 86–71 in Game 1 before going on to lose at the buzzer in Game 2 in Auckland after a game-winning fade-away shot by

Ekene Ibekwe Ekenechukwu Brian "Ekene" Ibekwe (born July 19, 1985) is a Nigerian American professional basketball player for Urunday Universitario of the Liga Uruguaya de Básquetbol. He played college basketball for the University of Maryland at College P ...

lifted the Breakers to an 83–81 series-clinching win.

Honour Roll

Season by season

All-time records

As of the end of the 2021–22 season

Summary

Players

All-time roster

Current roster

Retired jerseys

Notable past players

Shaun Bruce Shaun Bruce (born 13 January 1991) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Sydney Kings of the National Basketball League (NBL). He began his NBL career in 2012 as a development player with the Cairns Taipans, before earning a f ...

Martin Cattalini Martin Peter Cattalini (born 4 October 1973) is a retired Australian professional basketball player who won championships with both the Perth Wildcats and the Adelaide 36ers in the NBL. Career Cattalini began his NBL career for the Wildcats in ...

Torrey Craig Torrey Craig (born December 19, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the USC Upstate Spartans, where he was named an honorable ment ...

Anthony Fisher Anthony Colin Fisher (born 10 March 1960) is an Australian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church and a friar of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans). Since 12 November 2014, he has been the ninth Catholic Archbishop of Sydney. He served as the ...

* Cameron Gliddon *

Aaron Grabau Aaron Grabau (born 8 February 1978) is an Australian former professional basketball player. He played 14 seasons for the Cairns Taipans of the National Basketball League (NBL). Grabau was born in Melbourne, Victoria. He made his NBL debut as a ...

Devon Hall Devon Howard Hall (born July 7, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for Olimpia Milano of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers. Early life Hall is the ...

Nathan Jawai Nathan Leon Jawai (born 10 October 1986) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Darwin Salties of the NBL1 North. Standing at 209 cm, he plays at the Power forward (basketball), power forward and Center (basketball), centre ...

Phill Jones Phillip Charles George Jones (born 25 January 1974) is a New Zealand former professional basketball player. He played in Finland, Italy and Australia, but is best known for his 22 seasons with the Nelson Giants in the New Zealand National Bask ...

Jarrod Kenny Jarrod Daniel Kenny (born 17 September 1985) is a New Zealand former professional basketball player. He played many seasons in the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL) for the Hawke's Bay Hawks and represented the New Zealand Tall Bl ...

Robert Loe Robert Loe (born 5 August 1991) is a New Zealand professional basketball player for the New Zealand Breakers of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for Saint Louis University and represents the New Zealand nati ...

* Alex Loughton * /

Scott Machado Michael Scott Machado (born June 8, 1990) is an American-Brazilian professional basketball player for Avtodor Saratov of the VTB United League. He played college basketball for Iona College and represents the Brazilian national basketball team. ...

Darnell Mee LaFarrell Darnell Mee (born February 11, 1971) is an American former professional basketball player who played 12 seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for Western Kentucky before being selected by the Go ...

* Mitchell McCarron * James Mitchell * Tony Mitchell * / Andre Moore *

Cameron Oliver Cameron Oliver (born July 11, 1996) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Zhejiang Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for the Nevada Wolf Pack. High school career Olive ...

Kenny Payne Kenneth Victor Payne (born November 25, 1966) is an American college basketball coach and former player who is the head men's basketball coach at the University of Louisville. Prior to being hired at Louisville, Payne spent two seasons as an assis ...

Tony Rampton Tony Rampton (born 30 May 1976) is a New Zealand former professional basketball player. Early life and college Rampton was born in New Plymouth, New Zealand, and attended New Plymouth Boys' High School. Rampton left New Zealand as a rising 1 ...

* / Robert Rose *

Dusty Rychart Dusty Mike Rychart (born August 11, 1978) is an Australian-American professional basketball player for the Brisbane Capitals of the Queensland Basketball League (QBL). College career Rychart attended the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis wh ...

Nathan Sobey Nathan Adam Sobey (born 14 July 1990) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Brisbane Bullets of the National Basketball League (NBL). He played college basketball for the University of Wyoming's Cowboys. He was a member of th ...

Clint Steindl Clinton Harold Steindl (born 15 March 1989) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Tasmania JackJumpers of the National Basketball League (NBL). After attending the Australian Institute of Sport, he moved to the United States ...

* Anthony Stewart *

Lindsay Tait Lindsay Michael Tait (born 8 January 1982) is a New Zealand former professional basketball player. Early life Born in Sydney, New South Wales, Tait moved to Auckland as a four-year-old and later attended Avondale College where he was a member of ...

Marcus Timmons Marcus Timmons (born November 3, 1971) is an American-Australian former professional basketball player. He played for the Wollongong Hawks, Melbourne Tigers, Perth Wildcats, Cairns Taipans, New Zealand Breakers and Adelaide 36ers. Timmons won Lis ...

Cameron Tragardh Cameron Tragardh (born 29 September 1983) is an Australian former professional basketball player who played 13 seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL). He made his debut in the NBL in 2003 and played for the Townsville Crocodiles, Brisb ...

Aaron Trahair Aaron Trahair (born 3 February 1976) is an Australian former professional basketball player. Career Before beginning his career in the NBL, Trahair attended the Australian Institute of Sport in 1992 and 1993. He began his NBL career with the P ...

Travis Trice Travis Trice Jr. (born January 22, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for UCAM Murcia of the Spanish Liga ACB. He played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans, leading his team in points during the 2014–15 NCAA D ...

Melo Trimble Romelo Delante Trimble (born February 2, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for CSKA Moscow of the VTB United League. He played at Bishop Denis J. O'Connell High School in Arlington, Virginia, where he was a McDonald's All-Ameri ...

Jarrad Weeks Jarrad Weeks (born 11 July 1989) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Auckland Tuatara of the New Zealand National Basketball League (NZNBL). Early life Weeks was born in Melbourne, Victoria. He attended Barker College in Sy ...

Jayson Wells Jayson Donald Edward Wells (born December 22, 1976) is a retired American basketball player. He won titles in the Finnish, Ukrainian, and Israeli leagues. He was named to four All-League teams during his professional career. In 2003-04 he was t ...

Jamar Wilson Jamar J. Wilson (born February 22, 1984) is an American-Finnish professional basketball player for Boulazac Basket Dordogne of the LNB Pro B. Standing at , he plays at the point guard position. High school career Wilson attended Our Savior New Am ...

Mark Worthington Mark Worthington (born 8 June 1983) is an Australian former professional basketball player who played 11 seasons in the National Basketball League (NBL). Early life and career Born in Bunbury, Western Australia, Worthington grew up in the nearb ...

Mitchell Young Mitchell Young (born 6 August 1990) is an Australian former professional basketball player who last played for the Cairns Taipans He played four years of college basketball for Saint Mary's College of California. Early life Young grew up playi ...

References

External links

* {{NBL National Basketball League (Australia) teams Basketball teams in Queensland Basketball teams established in 1999 1999 establishments in Australia Sport in Cairns