Pearlman Previews Marlins’ 2013 QBL Campaign

Media release: Thursday 9 May 2013

 

Full-court defensive pressure and a fast-paced offence will be the Shirts North Cairns Marlins’ hallmarks this season under new head coach Jamie Pearlman.

 

The former Skytrans Cairns Taipans defensive player of the year and current Taipans assistant coach says he’s looked to establish a mix of defensive toughness with flexibility for his scorers to ply their trade.

 

“I’ve definitely preached defence as a massive part of our game and have players who play really hard on that end,” Pearlman said.

 

“But at the same time we need to put the ball in the hole, so we’ve kept a balance to ensure we run a good offence to get guys quality shots.”

 

And those shots will be taken by a mix of established veterans and youngsters with a point to prove.

 

Kerry Williams just completed his fourth full NBL season with the Skytrans Cairns Taipans, and Pearlman will rely on his leadership at the point guard position.

 

“Kerry has another great year of NBL basketball under his belt, and at this level he’s a tough matchup for any team. He’s definitely our leader and a massive part of our success,” Pearlman said of the local product.

 

Pearlman says the entire Marlins squad is excited at the prospect of lobbing the ball each night to starting centre and towering Taipans development player, Matt Andronicos.

 

“At 208 centimetres Matt runs the floor well, is athletic, and will be a big part of our puzzle.”

 

“It can sometimes be a luxury in this league to be playing with a genuine centre, so all the guys are excited to be playing with him,” he said.

 

“This will be his first full season at this level, so Matt wants to make a mark and show that he can be a dominant centre in the Queensland Basketball League.”

 

If Andronicos is to find that form, it will be with the assistance of former Taipans big man, Matt Smith, who at age 33 returns to the hardwood with the Marlins after four years in retirement.

 

Smith, in addition to attending extra sessions to shake off those years away from the court, has taken to the role of mentoring Andronicos.

 

“He hadn’t had a run for a few years but got the itch, and has worked extra hard to get himself into shape to be competitive,” Pearlman said of the 116-game NBL journeyman.

 

“He’s been a fantastic mentor for Matt Andronicos, passing on his knowledge of what it takes to play in the NBL to help him reach his goal. He’s been great for the group especially from a mentoring viewpoint.”

 

Pearlman is careful not to underestimate the contribution of Marlins stalwarts Dwayne Vale, James Comino and Curt Ahwang.

 

He says their combined experience is key to the team’s culture.

 

“They’re the absolute rocks of this club. They’ve been staples of this team, they’re passionate about the Cairns Marlins programme and always bring tonnes of knowledge and energy to the squad,” he said.

 

Joining them in the squad are CQUniversity Taipans Academy athletes James Mitchell, Justin Soleimani and Jason Osborne.

 

Standing next to Pearlman on the sidelines as assistant coaches are Taipans forward Cameron Tragardh and former Taipans development player, Chris Daniel.

 

The Shirts North Cairns Marlins tip off their 2013 Queensland Basketball League season this Saturday night at 8pm when they host the Mackay Meteors.

 

Pearlman will announce his 12-man line up for the season opener on Friday.

2013 Shirts North Cairns Marlins Squad

G	Kerry Williams	181cm	84kg
G	Curt Ahwang	183cm	83kg
G	Aaron Bin Tahal	175cm	70kg
G	Jacob Pilot	180cm	82kg
G	Kailou George	180cm	85kg
G	Justin Soleimani	184cm	89kg
G/F	Dwayne Vale	193cm	96kg
F	James Comino	190cm	90kg
F	James Mitchell	195cm	87kg
F	Jason Osborne	190cm	90kg
F	Zac Carter	199cm	95kg
F	Daniel Majer	196cm	88kg
C	Matthew Smith	211cm	120kg
C	Matt Andronicos	208cm	111kg