NEWS:  Goorjian heaps praise on 'tenacious' Taipans |
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Feb 16th, by EMMA GREENWOOD SOUTH Dragons coach Brian Goorjian has described Cairns as a ""cornerstone`` of the NBL and called Taipans players "champions`` for the way they fought out the season. Goorjian said he felt great empathy for the Taipans players after going through the collapse of the Sydney Kings last season. And he admitted to being emotional at times during Saturday`s match as he watched the embattled Taipans fight so hard against his playoff-bound Dragons. "A lot`s been said about the Sydney Spirit, but I think this team has dealt almost with more being handed into administration, losing their imports, not knowing what the future is,`` he said of the Taipans. "I was in a tough situation (with the Kings last season) and I have sympathy for players that have had to go through this. "It`s very, very difficult. "Guys like (Martin) Cattalini, (Aaron) Grabau, (Ian) Crosswhite, I`m standing over on the sideline thinking "champion`. "It`s bigger than winning and losing games. "You find out about a man`s heart.`` The Dragons led by as much as 15 points during the third quarter and threatened to split the game wide open but Goorjian knew the Taipans would fight back given the emotion surrounding the night. "There was no way the Cairns players were going to let it go, they were just going to fight it out, fight it out, fight it out and really put themselves in a pretty damn good position from being in a diabolical position to win the game,`` he said. "I think they`ve showed tremendous tenacity and tremendous respect for the community and I think everybody in the league (should) put their hand up and congratulate these players.`` The incumbent Australian coach said Cairns` involvement at the elite level was also important for the development of the sport. "I know Aaron Fearne was running a great junior program here and they were developing players like Kerry Williams, like Nathan Jawai, like (Aron Baynes), the young man playing for Washington State right now,`` he said. "They`re producing their own, the community loves their team and I think they sent a message to the league and to Cairns that they need a team here. "(Given) my national involvement and (for) the strength of the game, I would be really disappointed if there wasn`t a Cairns basketball team here and I thought (Saturday`s game) was a positive for that.`` |
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