Taipans coach 勝利，勝つs in old stomping ground
The 追求（する），探索（する） for an 就任の 半分-final 外見 for NBL debutants South East Melbourne 不死鳥／絶品 has been dashed with a former favourite son helping 配達する the final blow.
A 重要な 人物／姿／数字 during the South East Melbourne 魔法's successful NBL 時代, Cairns coach マイク Kelly enjoys a special affinity with basketball in the area.
And while his 単独の 焦点（を合わせる） on Sunday was to steer the Taipans to a fourth 連続する victory, taking on the 不死鳥／絶品 in 前線 of a packed house at the 明言する／公表する Basketball Centre in Melbourne's east 証明するd to be a 広大な／多数の／重要な experience for the 52-year-old coach.
"It's amazing - there were a few people who were 魔法 fans who （機の）カム up after the game to say hello," Kelly said after Cairns escaped with a 103-102 勝利，勝つ to remain on 跡をつける for a 最高の，を越す-four finish.
The California native played for the North East Melbourne Arrows and Nunawading Spectres in the SEABL before joining the 魔法 for the 1996 season.
Kelly made an 即座の 衝撃 by （人命などを）奪う，主張するing 決勝戦 最高殊勲選手 honours as South East Melbourne 敗北・負かすd 地元の 競争相手s Melbourne Tigers to 勝利，勝つ their second NBL 肩書を与える.
The 196cm 今後 also won two NBL Best 防御の Player awards with the 魔法 before finishing his playing career with stints at the Victoria 巨人s, Townsville Crocodiles and Wollongong 強硬派s.
"The people around here are basketball crazy and I loved it when I was playing SEABL in this area and NBL," Kelly said.
Kelly also made his 示す as an assistant coach under Dean Vickerman when Melbourne 部隊d won the 2018 選手権, before taking on the 最高の，を越す 職業 with the Taipans.
After finishing last with six 勝利，勝つs in Kelly's debut season, the Taipans have ロケット／急騰するd to third 位置／汚点／見つけ出す on 14 勝利，勝つs, three ahead of fifth-placed Melbourne, behind the strong play of 輸入する trio new Scott Machado, （機の）カム Oliver and DJ Newbill.
While Kelly still 持つ／拘留するs plenty of love for the city of Melbourne, he appears to have 設立する his place in far north Queensland.
"( Melbourne's) just a phenomenal place to come 支援する to but now I love going 支援する to Cairns where we have いっそう少なく traffic lights, いっそう少なく 速度(を上げる） cameras, nice 天候 and my family," he said.
The Taipans can go の近くに to locking in a 決勝戦 寝台／地位 by 敗北・負かすing the struggling Illawarra 強硬派s at home on Friday but a poor 最近の 記録，記録的な／記録する against the league's cellar dwellers means Kelly is not getting ahead of himself.
"They've beaten us three times, we have no 推論する／理由 to be complacent," Kelly said.
"We're not in the プレーオフs yet, we have a 広大な／多数の／重要な group of guys who are playing good basketball but we can play better and we need to play better."
