Mayen has fresh focus ahead of Taipans test

Adelaide 36ers will be looking for their first win of the NBL25 season when the team travel to Far North Queensland to battle Cairns Taipans on Saturday night.

Power forward Lat Mayen, who had a career-high 23 points against the Kings, will be playing against his former team for the first time.

Mayen said head coach Mike Wells hasn’t asked for the Cairns playbook yet but expects the Taipans will be out to rebound after their opening round loss to Illawarra Hawks at HoopsFest.

“It’s going to be a good, they are a great team, I know they are going to play hard, Fordey (Taipans head coach Adam Forde) is a great coach,” Mayen said.

“We just got to go out there and do what we need to do.

“This will be the first time I will be on the other side, it’s going to be a new experience for me, but I’m ready for the challenge.”

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Mayen knows his side need to adjust in a few areas after the 102-94 loss to the Kings.

“We got outrebounded, they got a lot offensive rebounds, we got to clean that up, not just for the next game, but in general,” Mayen said.

“We had a lot of turnovers, so we got to take care of the ball.”

Wells said he expects a tough contest in what will be his first road game experience in the NBL.

“They play exceptionally hard, the guys that are on the floor are always competing,” Wells said.

“We know what we are getting into, the facility and the crowd, and we know it’s going to be hot.

“They get up and down the floor really well and coach Forde has them well prepared.”

After early foul trouble plagued Isaac Humphries in the opening round, Wells expects his star big man to respond against the Taipans.

“Sydney had a plan with Ice straight away, the first time he touched the ball, they doubled straight away, the second time he touched the ball, they double teamed him,” Wells said.

“There was a plan there to not get him going.

“He is that type of skilled player, he should warrant that, and that is a good thing for us as a team.

“Once they put two to the ball there will be a mismatch somewhere on the back side to get the ball to him.”

CAIRNS TAIPANS vs ADELAIDE 36ERS
Cairns Convention Centre, Saturday 5pm ACST
Live on ESPN via Kayo Sports  

OVERALL
Played 86, Adelaide 46, Cairns 40

LAST FIVE MATCHES
Jan 27, 2024 –36ers 88 def Taipans 71 at AEC
Jan 13, 2024 –Taipans 111 def 36ers 101 in overtime at Cairns Convention Centre
Dec 9, 2023 - Taipans 116 def 36ers 101 at AEC
Jan 30, 2023 –36ers 99 def Taipans 96 at Cairns Convention Centre
Dec 31, 2022 –Taipans 86 def 36ers 83 at Cairns Convention Centre

LIKELY STARTERS
Cairns: Rob Edwards, Jonah Antonio, Pedro Bradshaw, Sam Waardenburg, Tanner Groves
Adelaide: Kendric Davis, DJ Vasiljevic, Sunday Dech, Lat Mayen, Isaac Humphries.

STATS THAT MATTER
- Adelaide has won the third quarter in each of its last eight games against Cairns.
- 36ers have won the first quarter in each of its last three games in Cairns.
- Adelaide ranks 2nd in the league for field goal percentage this season (49.2%).
- Lat Mayen scored a career-high 23 points in his 36ers debut last week.
- DJ Vasiljevic has scored 20+ points in six consecutive appearances - longest active streak of any player in the league.
- In his NBL debut, Montrezl Harrell finished with a plus minus of +23
- Kendric Davis was one of only three players in the NBL to have recorded 8+ assists in Round 1.