Page 51 - Tropic Magazine Issue 13

TAIPANS 20 SEASON ANNIVERSARY
TH

Community
Community

champions
champions

In this special edition of Tropic, we celebrate the Cairns Taipans’
amazing 20-year journey in the NBL.

Through the ups and downs, beyond reaches a new peak with the against the New Zealand Breakers
the highs and the lows, there is one CQUniversity Cairns Taipans that helped secure a nail-biting
constant about the Cairns Taipans over celebrating its 20th season in the double overtime win. Aaron Grabau’s
the past 20 years: community spirit is NBL. The Taipans are the only regional remarkable 405-game career. The
the lifeblood of the club. club in the modern era to reach such spark of Scott Wilbekin. The pride of
From the passionate fans in the a momentous milestone. And what a seeing Nate Jawai in the NBA Draft.
Orange Army to the support of local journey it has been. The long-serving legends like Martin
businesses, from the front office staff Remember those times the Taipans Cattalini and Anthony Stewart and
to the playing and coaching roster, soared to the top? The NBL Grand other stalwarts like Cameron Gliddon
community spirit is embedded in the Final appearances in 2011 and 2015, and Alex Loughton. Nine years in the
Taipans’ DNA, fuelling the club from the year they also won their first coaching hot seat for Aaron Fearne.
the very beginning. minor premiership. Ron Dorsey’s The international notoriety of mascot
In this 2018-19 season, that spirit miraculous long range three-pointer Joe Blake. Then there were the lows,

51 • tropicnow.com.au