Melo Trimble signs with Melbourne United

The Melbourne United announced today that they have signed All-NBL second teamer Melo Trimble to a one-year contract. The University of Maryland product player for the Cairns Taipans last season, playing in all 28 of the club’s games where he averaged 22.5 points, 4.6 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 34 minutes per contest. Trimble started off with a bang setting a club record for most points in a debut when he dropped 32 in his first game. He scored in double figures in all but one game, scoring…

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Sydney defeats Cairns 89-84

From nbl.com.au : The Sydney Kings took care of business beating the Cairns Taipans 89-84 on Saturday at Qudos Bank Arena to give themselves a chance of ending the regular season in second position. Sydney had to beat the dangerous Taipans on their home floor on Saturday in their last game of the regular season to be any chance of finishing second to earn the home court advantage in the semi finals. That job was made more of a challenge when superstar point guard Jerome Randle didn’t suit still sore…

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Melbourne suffers costly defeat from Cairns

From nbl.com.au : All season the Cairns Taipans threatened to take a big scalp and in the final round they did the job taking down Melbourne United at Melbourne Arena on Thursday night. The Taipans came in with only five wins but they held their nerve and rode their talents to a spirited 87-85 win and potentially reshaped the upcoming finals series. Melbourne staged a dramatic late comeback from 82-74 down with five minutes to play gaining the ball with 18 seconds left and a chance to take the lead.…

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Cairns defeats Brisbane in Loughton’s last game

From nbl.com.au : Their season may have gone down in flames early, but the Cairns Taipans have ensured captain Alex Loughton’s name goes down in glory with an emotion-charged win over the Brisbane Bullets on Saturday. Love was all around the building with 5,006 Orange Army faithful turning up to pay appreciation to the club stalwart, as his late and-one could have destroyed their Sunshine State rivals’ chances at making the playoffs. It was done in the grind-it-out method so common to Loughton and his Snakes of the past decade,…

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Cairns defeats New Zealand in OT 106-98

From nbl.com.au: FAST FACTS • Cairns have hosted consecutive home games with overtime for the first time in their history • The Taipans came from 12 points down to win – the first time they have won from more than four points behind this season • It was Taipans first overtime win since December 2015 after five consecutive losses • Melo Trimble had 32 points, five rebounds and five assists. First Taipan ever to have 32/5/5 twice in the same season • Jarrad Weeks scored 17 points for the Bre…

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Adelaide 36ers ink Shaun Bruce as injury replacement

In light of the calf injury that will cost Ramone Moore the rest of the season, the Adelaide 36ers have signed Shaun Bruce on a short-term deal. This will Bruce’s second go-round with Cairns; he made his NBL debut with the club in 2013. He would sign a two-year deal with the Brisbane Bullets in 2016. In 2018 Bruce signed with the Wellington Saints in the New Zealand NBL. Bruce’s older brother Aaron debuted with Adelaide in 2008-09 and had a second stint as a injury replacement player in 2009-10.…

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