Cairns Taipans
Established	1999/00
Team Colours	Navy and White
Home Venue	Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns
Major Sponsor	Rawnet
Championships	None
Team History	Cairns Taipans (1999-Present)
Chief Executive	Juanita O'Brien
Coach	Alan Black
Captain	Anthony Stewart
Website	www.taipans.com

The Cairns Taipans are a professional basketball team competing in Australia's National Basketball League. The club is based in the northern Queensland city of Cairns. The Taipans, named after a species of venomous snake native to Australia, entered the NBL in the 1999/2000 season. The Taipans play at the Cairns Convention Centre, and play in navy and white colours. Image File history File links Cairns_Taipans. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Cairns Convention Centre is an indoor sporting arena located in Cairns, Australia. ... Central Cairns from Mount Whitfield looking southeast. ... ... Sara Giauro shoots a three-point shot, FIBA Europe Cup for Women Finals 2005. ... The National Basketball League is Australias top-level professional basketball competition. ... Capital Brisbane Government Const. ... Central Cairns from Mount Whitfield looking southeast. ... This article is about the Australian snake. ... Cairns Convention Centre is an indoor sporting arena located in Cairns, Australia. ...

History

The first coach in franchise history was former Cairns Marlins ABA coach Rod Popp. Playing at the newly expanded Cairns Convention Centre, the Taipans played their first game against the Sydney Kings in front of 4,407 fans. However, there would be few highlights in their first season, finishing last with a 2-26 record. Australian Basketball Association Logo The Australian Basketball Association (ABA) is Australias second-tiered, semi-professional basketball competition which sits under the NBL and the WNBL. The ABA is representative of the huge number of junior-based associations across the country and is the endorsed national development league of the... The Sydney Kings are a basketball team competing in the National Basketball League in Australia. ...

With a large turn-over of players in their second season, expectations for Cairns were low. Headed by Guy Molloy, a former South-East Melbourne Magic and Australian women's national team assistant coach, the Taipans would improve to 6-22, sell out five of fourteen home games and attract over 4,300 spectators per match. The South East Melbourne Magic were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League. ...

Midway through the 2001/02 season, Taipans released import forward Matt Garrison replacing him with the exciting Jayson Wells, who made an immediate impact on the team averaging over 22 points and 10 rebounds per game including a season high 40 points against Canberra and 39 points against reigning NBL champions Wollongong. During the season the club registered their first ever wins against North Queensland rivals Townsville, Wollongong, Adelaide and Victoria. The club also recorded their biggest winning margin in a match against Canberra and won the best of head to head battles against reigning title holders Wollongong and the Victoria Titans. The club again showed significant improvement to earn nine victories. The Canberra Cannons were a basketball team competing in the Australian National Basketball League. ... The Wollongong Hawks are a team competing in Australias National Basketball League (NBL), based in the New South Wales city of Wollongong. ... The Townsville Crocodiles are a basketball team competing in the Australian National Basketball League. ... The Adelaide 36ers are Adelaides mens professional basketball team, established as the Adelaide City Eagles when they joined the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1982. ... The Victoria Titans were an Australian basketball team, that played in Melbourne, Victoria, in the National Basketball League. ...

In 2002/03, the Taipans took another significant step forward by winning 13 games while finishing in eighth position, showing that the club should make the playoffs for the first time in the near future.

The 2003/04 season proved to be an exciting one for the Taipans, with the recruitment of experienced NBL championship-winning forwards Melvin Thomas and Marcus Timmons helping the Taipans to reach their first playoffs in franchise history. The Taipans first finals appearance resulted in a win, as Cairns upset Perth 103-96. Ultimately, the Taipans maiden post-season foray was stopped by the West Sydney Razorbacks who would go on to come within a single game of the title. Timmons earned his team’s MVP award for the season. The Perth Wildcats are an Australian basketball team competing in the National Basketball League. ... The West Sydney Razorbacks are a professional basketball team competing in Australias National Basketball League. ...

The 2004/05 season witnessed the first-ever reversal of the Taipan’s forward progress from the past five seasons, resulting in championship coach Alan Black being signed to replace Molloy. The addition of All-Star Martin Cattalini and Darnell Mee, as well as AIS up-and-comer Adam Gibson helped the Taipans to a fifth-place finish in 2005-06. Cairns defeated the Hunter Pirates in the first round, and Anthony Stewart hit a three late in overtime to help the Taipans past the Adelaide 36ers, and advance the Taipans to their first ever semi-final. The Taipans lost this to the defending champion Sydney Kings in two straight games, narrowly going down 84-82 in game two in Cairns. Martin Cattalini (born October 4, 1973 in Fremantle, Western Australia) is an Australian professional basketball player, currently playing for the Cairns Taipans in the National Basketball League. ... Hunter Pirates are an Australian basketball team, based in the city of Newcastle, and plays in the National Basketball League. ... Anthony Stewart (born January 5, 1985 in LaSalle, Quebec, Canada) is a professional ice hockey player. ...

The 2006/07 Taipans consolidated their form of the previous year with a 17-16 record and a sixth place finish. Many Taipans players enjoyed notable personal success. Martin Cattalini placed second in the NBL among scorers, behind New Zealand's Carlos Powell. Darnell Mee placed sixth in the league for assists, whilst new addition Kevin Owens was amongst the best rebounders and blockers in the league. The Taipans defeated the South Dragons 118-97 in the second quarter-final, and then beat the Perth Wildcats 82-78 in the fourth quarter-final to advance to the semi-final series against the Melbourne Tigers.

Honour Roll

Source: www.nbl.com.au

Club MVP

• 2001 Ben Knight & Aaron Trahair
• 2002 Jayson Wells
• 2003 Ben Knight & Anthony Stewart
• 2004 Marcus Timmons
• 2005 Chris Burgess
• 2006 Martin Cattalini

Source: www.taipans.com.au

Current roster

Cairns Taipans Current Roster
Head Coach: Alan Black				Edit
F	20		Gary Boodnikoff	(SA; Augusta State University)
F	6		Martin Cattalini	(WA)
F	00		Scott Cook	(QLD)
G	26		Daniel George #
G	8		Aaron Grabau	(VIC)
G	11		Luke Martin	(NSW; University of Texas at El Paso)
G	13		Darnell Mee	(Cleveland; Western Kentucky University)
F	10		Kane Oakley	(VIC; Metropolitan State College of Denver)
C	15		Kevin Owens *	(USA; Monmouth University)
G	21		Robert Rose	(New York; George Mason University)
C	50		Matt Smith	(VIC; Lander University)
G	23		Anthony Stewart - Captain	(TAS)
G	3		Damon Thornton *	(USA; North Carolina State)
F	5		Dwayne Vale #	(QLD)
* = Import, # = Development Player				Cairns Taipans

Alan Black is a former basketball player and a current basketball coach in the Australian National Basketball League. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... Emblems: Hairy Nosed Wombat (faunal); Leafy Seadragon (marine); Piping Shrike (bird: unofficial); Sturts Desert Pea (floral); Opal (gemstone) Motto: United for the Common Wealth Slogan or Nickname: Festival State Other Australian states and territories Capital Adelaide Government Const. ... Augusta State University is a public, four-year university located in Augusta, Georgia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... Martin Cattalini (born October 4, 1973 in Fremantle, Western Australia) is an Australian professional basketball player, currently playing for the Cairns Taipans in the National Basketball League. ... Capital Perth Government Const. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... Motto: Audax at Fidelis (Bold but Faithful) Other Australian states and territories Capital Brisbane Governor HE Ms Quentin Bryce Premier Peter Beattie (ALP) Area 1,852,642 km² (2st)  - Land 1,730,648 km²  - Water 121,994 km² (6. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... Motto: Peace and Prosperity Other Australian states and territories Capital Melbourne Governor HE Mr John Landy Premier Steve Bracks (ALP) Area 237,629 km² (6th)  - Land 227,416 km²  - Water 10,213 km² (4. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... Capital Sydney Government Const. ... The University of Texas at El Paso, popularly known as UTEP, is a public, coeducational university, and it is a member of the University of Texas System. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... LaFarrell Darnell Mee (born February 11, 1971, in Cleveland, Tennessee) is an American former National Basketball Association player. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Western Kentucky University (WKU) is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... Motto: Peace and Prosperity Other Australian states and territories Capital Melbourne Governor HE Mr John Landy Premier Steve Bracks (ALP) Area 237,629 km² (6th)  - Land 227,416 km²  - Water 10,213 km² (4. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... Kevin Owens (born June 9, 1980 in Haddonfield, New Jersey) is a professional basketball player currently playing with the Canaris Taipans in Canaris, Australia. ... Monmouth University is a private university located in West Long Branch, New Jersey. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... Robert Rose (born December 27, 1964, in Rochester, New York) is an American professional basketball player in the Australian National Basketball League. ... NY redirects here. ... George Mason University, GMU, or Mason is a public university in the United States. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... Motto: Peace and Prosperity Other Australian states and territories Capital Melbourne Governor HE Mr John Landy Premier Steve Bracks (ALP) Area 237,629 km² (6th)  - Land 227,416 km²  - Water 10,213 km² (4. ... Lander University is a public university located in Greenwood, South Carolina. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... Anthony Stewart (born April 15, 1970 in Burnie, Tasmania) is an Australian professional basketball player in Australias NBL. Stewart is currently the captain for the Cairns Taipans. ... Capital Hobart Government Const. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... North Carolina State University Seal North Carolina State University is an institution of higher learning located in Raleigh, North Carolina. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... Capital Brisbane Government Const. ...

Websites

• Official Website for the Cairns Taipans
• NBL Website