SATURDAY evening in the National Basketball League (NBL) sees the Cairns Taipans make the trip down south to take on the SEM Phoenix at the State Basketball Centre, as the Phoenix will attempt to get their fourth consecutive win against Cairns this season.

The Taipans, who sit in ninth place, have had it tough this season, with a 7-19 record. Although on paper they have a very talented squad, they just have not built that connection and have not been able to gel as a team. Jack McVeigh has led the way throughout the season, averaging 21.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists a game, but his elite play has not been able to translate to wins.

Their last game was against the Perth Wildcats, suffering a 106-69 loss, with McVeigh scoring almost half of the team’s points with 34. While the game was fairly close throughout the first half, everything fell apart in the third quarter, and from then on, the match was over.

The SEM Phoenix are currently on a two-game stretch of wins, one against the New Zealand Breakers and the other over the Adelaide 36ers, as they made a massive statement to the league, proving themselves to be contenders for championship favourites.

They currently sit in second place, two wins behind the 36ers. As of recent, it seems that something has clicked for the Phoenix, as they have played at such a high standard, and are loaded with so much talent, there is no reason why they can’t go on a championship run.

The Phoenix as tonight’s matchup will be a tough pill to swallow for the Taipans, considering their track record against them this season. As finals approach, the Phoenix will be set on having a great end to their season to be in top form for their finals run.