"Sky the limit" for main man Armstrong

Sunday, September 1, 2024

A foot injury impacted Taran Armstrong’s production across NBL24, but he's ready rise in his second season.

He’s only 22 years old and boasts just 23 games of NBL experience, but there’s no doubting Taran Armstrong is the main man in Cairns this season.

Patrick Miller and Tahjere McCall are gone, and now the hopes of the Taipans rest largely on the shoulders of their talented young point guard.

While NBL Media’s Liam Santamaria admits it’s hard to get a read on a new-look Cairns roster this early in the piece, one thing’s for sure, Armstrong will play a lead role for coach Adam Forde.

“He’s (Forde) all in on Taran Armstrong,” Santamaria said on The Roundtable.

“Here’s the ball, you’re our guy, go and be everything you’re capable of becoming.”

Injury impacted Armstrong’s production across NBL24, but he showed plenty to suggest he’s ready to rise this year.

The former California Baptist star averaged 7.7 points, 4 rebounds and 2.7 assists across 21 minutes a game in his first professional season.

“The sky is the limit for Taran Armstrong,” WNBL and Opals star Alice Kunek said.

“We know he’s spoken about he wants to play in the NBA, and I love that 'Fordey' has gone all in on him ... he believes in his players.”

Santamaria said there were still many questions to be answered for Cairns, but backed Armstrong to step up.

“There’s going to be some key contributors to this team that we haven’t largely gotten to know yet on the NBL hardwood,” he added.

“... can’t wait to see this team to play some pre-season games or get to know them at the Blitz, and start to get to know what Rob Edwards and Pedro Bradshaw and Tanner Groves, the three imports in particular, what they can get done at this level.

“With all that being said, I think I’m mainly a little higher than what the consensus thought on what Adam Forde’s put together here and what they’re going to be able to do.

“But until we get a good look at these guys in the next few weeks, it’s going to be hard to really know what we’re in for.”

The Taipans are one of just two teams without an official pre-season game locked in, with fans waiting patiently for the NBL Blitz to get a glimpse of the new faces.