AUS - The 'Cat' Strikes Again

CAIRNS (NBL) - Two time Olympian Martin CATTALINI has continued his incredible start to the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) season, spearheading his Cairns Taipans to an 89-79 victory over the top of the table Perth Wildcats.

In the lowest scoring match of the NBL season, the 'Cat' led all scorers with 20 points, converting 4/7 three pointers as the Taipans maintained their perfect home record in front of 4244 very loud Cairns fans.

It was yet another clinical performance from Cattalini, who has twice scored 38 points in a game this season, and leads the NBL's scoring with an impressive 28.7 points per game.

The former Caja San Fernando (Spain) player has also hit two game winning shots and is providing the Taipans, who bowed out in last years semi-finals, with veteran leadership in tight situations.

"Cairns is a team with a couple of real cool customers offensively - Cattalini, (Darnell) Mee, (Anthony) Stewart," said Perth coach Scott Fisher.

"I thought those guys were cool and held it all together."

While his experience in the clutch is of assistance, the 33 year old Cattalini believes it is his preparation in the pre-season that is responsible for his career-best form.

"It is probably the first time in a number of years I have come into the season feeling good," Cattalini said.

"The guys are looking for me a lot this year and I am feeling confident about my own game… I have been a little bit more aggressive and shooting the ball a bit more."

Cairns coach Alan Black, who was an assistant coach for the Australian Boomers at the 1998 FIBA World Championships and the 1996 and 2000 Olympics, cannot hide his delight at Cattalini's fast start to the season.

"He is just playing amazing basketball at the moment, and he is doing that at training, he is not just saving it up for games."

"He is a very instinctive player, he seems to be able to adjust to what the defence does and make things happen," Black explained.

"I think that sort of thing is not something you can practice. You've either got it or you don't."

With his team aiming to win its first ever NBL Championship, Black is confident his star forward can maintain his form for the entire season.

"The way he is going he could play forever as long as he stays healthy!" Black joked.

"He works very hard, and particularly when he is shooting. He shoots at top speed all the time."

The game was billed as the match-up between star forwards Cattalini and Shawn Redhage, the Wildcats import from Arizona State University, who has been averaging 22 points and 9 rebounds per game. But Taipans swingman Aaron Grabau took the defensive job on Redhage and restricted him to just 35% shooting.

Though Redhage finished with 18 points and 9 rebounds, his influence was far short of what it has been this season. While the Taipans had been concerned about Redhage, Cattalini and the Taipans have the utmost confidence in Grabau's defensive abilities.

"He (Redhage) is probably the best player in the league right now, he is doing it all," Cattalini said. "(But) Aaron Grabau is one of the best defenders in the league … and Alan (Black) just lets him got out and do what he does best."

The Taipans (4-2) next face the Slingers (3-5) in Singapore, while the Wildcats (6-2) return home for a semi final rematch with the Melbourne Tigers (5-1), who again sit atop the NBL ladder after winning both it's games on the weekend.

Paul Kennedy FIBA
Official Correspondent in Australia.