NICKNAME/S: JK

BIO: Jarrod Kenny was born in Auckland (NZ) and attended Westlake Boys High School. The 188 cm point guard has represented the New Zealand Tall Blacks multiple times.

From 2002 to 2008, Kenny split time between playing for the Harbour Heat and earning his physiotherapy degree at the Auckland University of Technology.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Jarrod Kenny made his NBL debut with the Perth Wildcats at 30 years of age. He scored seven points in his first game.

On the heels of a injury-riddled season that ended in a semi-final defeat, similar to the 2010/11 season, coach Trevor Gleeson was confident heading into the 2015 season that he had a team capable of winning Perth’s seventh championship. After conceding his side struggled with chemistry issues the past season, Perth added high-profile recruits Casey Prather and Nathan Jawai as well as backup guard Jarrod Kenny to correct team balance.

With the team’s acquisition of Nathan Jawai, a injury-free Matthew Knight was able to move to his natural position of power forward for the first time while Shawn Redhage was moved to a bench role.

This first month of the season began by losing Damian Martin (5.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.8 steals) after he suffered a broken jaw and missing teeth after a errant elbow from Townsville Crocodiles forward Brian Conklin. He returned to action by the end of the month, despite originally being ruled out for three weeks.

Further injuries saw Wildcats leading scorer Casey Prather (16.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists 1.2 steals) also miss a number of games. Also a big part of Perth’s success this season were big numbers from Beal (15.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists) and the healthy combo of Knight (11.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists) and Jawai (10.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) which saw Perth sit among the top spots on the ladder all season.

The battle for the top spot saw Perth and Melbourne go back and forth all season, the Wildcat’s able to hold the top position for four rounds while United owned the top spot for 14 rounds. Both teams faced off in some gruelling battles during the season, including a career high night from Jermaine Beal, who notched up 40 points (sinking ten three-pointers) after not scoring at all in the first quarter as Perth dismantled Melbourne (113-83). A few weeks later, Melbourne took their revamp and defeated Perth (92–87) in a game that pushed the Wildcat’s into third position on the ladder for the only time that season.

The Wildcats finished the season in second place (18–10) (behind United) and reached the playoffs for the 30th straight season, a streak not matched in any other Australian or American professional sport code.

Next, the Wildcat’s went on to make light work of the Rob Beveridge-led Illawarra Hawks in game one of the semi finals. Casey Prather (19 points) led the Wildcats in scoring in the game one victory (80-68). In game two, the Hawks would even the score behind what was perhaps Oscar Forman’s best playoff game ever, one where he barely missed and finished with 21 points to defeat the Wildcat’s in convincing fashion (104–87).

Once the team returned home, Perth would take out the series (2-1) with a conclusive 89-74 victory. Jermaine Beal led the team in scoring with 17 points, and Prather added another 15 points, including a thunderous one-handed slam over AJ Ogilvy early in the fourth quarter.

On the opposite side of the bracket, a surprise upset saw reigning champions New Zealand (16-12), who had narrowly made the playoffs as the third seed, eliminated top seed Melbourne in two straight games to face Perth in the championship series.

In game one, the Wildcat’s played some of their best basketball thanks to Jawai’s presence inside, Prather’s athleticism, Kenny’s ability to provide a spark while Damian Martin went to the bench… all of the critical factors they were lacking last season. The result being a six-point win (82–76) to open the series.

After struggling in game one, Beal (20 points) finished as the high scorer of game two but would also make a crucial late-game turnover in the dying seconds of the match that would cost Perth the game. Riding the hot form of Breakers guard Cedric Jackson (13 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists) who recorded a near triple-double, New Zealand were able to even the series with a win back in Auckland (72–68).

With the deciding game in Perth and 13,090 of the ‘Red Army’ in attendance, the Wildcats’ core of Redhage, Wagstaff, Knight, Hire, Beal and Jervis made sure history didn’t repeat itself. Casey Prather (19 points) and Jermaine Beal (14 points) did most of the damage on the scoreboard for the Wildcats, but it was Martin’s inspirational display in defence that shone the brightest. Martin would be named Grand Final MVP after keeping star Breakers guard Cedric Jackson scoreless in the deciding game as the Wildcat’s claimed their seventh championship in a blowout win (75–52).

Kenny would play in all 34 games for the Wildcats, averaging 4.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists.

2016/17
After finishing second with an 18-10 record and defeating New Zealand 2-1 in the previous Grand Final, Perth entered the season as defending NBL champions, but Nathan Jawai (to Cairns), Tom Jervis (to Brisbane) and Jermaine Beal (to Brisbane) departed. Coach Trevor Gleeson retained captain Damian Martin, Matthew Knight, Jesse Wagstaff, Greg Hire, Shawn Redhage and Casey Prather and added Angus Brandt (via Sydney), Jameel McKay (via Iowa State) and Jaron Johnson (via Rio Grande Valley) as the Wildcats chased their first back-to-back championships since 1991. Knight had undergone stabilisation surgery on his left shoulder before suffering a subluxation of his right shoulder during the preseason and was initially ruled out for two months, leading Perth to add Lucas Walker (via Adelaide) as an injury replacement.

The New Zealand guard agreed to a three-year extension on May 11 after helping Perth win the championship in his first NBL season. Gleeson wanted him to become more aggressive from the perimeter, saying, “We’ll want him to shoot more, he’s a very good shooter from the three-point area.”

Perth opened the season in Brisbane on October 6, where Kenny (5 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist) played 17:59 from the bench, but the Bullets defeated the Wildcats 72-65. McKay (18 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks) and Prather (9 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists) led Perth, while Torrey Craig (16 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals) was Brisbane’s best.

Kenny (4.1 points across 30 games) made 11 starts and appeared in 25 of Perth’s 28 regular-season games before playing all five playoff games. Knight (9.4 points and 6.1 rebounds across 27 games) returned ahead of schedule against Illawarra on October 21, allowing Walker (1 point across 2 games) to be removed from the active roster while remaining with Perth as a training player, and the Wildcats improved to 4-1. Two days later at Hisense Arena, Kenny (0 points) suffered a groin strain after only 3:44 as Perth defeated Melbourne 72-69 behind Prather (16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) and Knight (14 points, 9 rebounds, and 1 block), while Majok Majok (12 points and 5 rebounds) led United. Martin (7 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) also fractured his jaw during the game. The groin injury was initially expected to keep Kenny out for three to five weeks, but he missed only three games against Illawarra, Adelaide and New Zealand before returning on November 17. Martin returned after missing one game but then suffered a grade-three MCL tear against Adelaide on November 5 and was ruled out for 10 to 12 weeks.

The backcourt injuries came during an import reshuffle, with Johnson (13.1 points and 4.6 rebounds across 14 games) deactivated after three games as Perth looked for better roster balance and more perimeter shooting. Andre Ingram (via Los Angeles D-Fenders) replaced him, but Ingram (8.5 points across 2 games) returned to the United States after two appearances citing mental health issues. With Martin and Kenny sidelined, Johnson was restored to the roster less than two weeks after being cut, but the move remained temporary and he was released for the second time on December 23 as Perth again looked to change the balance of its roster.

His best game came in Adelaide on December 3, where Kenny (15 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) made four three-pointers as Perth recovered from a 15-point second-half deficit and forced overtime. Johnson (18 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) and McKay (13 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and 5 blocks) provided support, while Jerome Randle (23 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) led Adelaide to a 92-86 victory.

By late December Perth had dropped six of seven games and fallen to the bottom of the ladder. “He’s (Johnson) a great guy. I’m sorry to see him leave, but that’s the nature of the game — professional sport these days.” Kenny said following Johnson’s second release. Perth worked through Christmas searching for a replacement and reviewed around 35 players before former NBA guard Bryce Cotton (via Anadolu Efes) signed for the remainder of the season on January 3 after leaving Turkey the previous month. Cotton (23.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 steals across 16 games) gave Perth the offensive creator it had been searching for, with Gleeson describing him as the “missing piece”. The Wildcats won eight of their final 12 regular-season games after falling to last place and went 12-4 across Cotton’s 16 appearances, including a perfect 5-0 postseason. Perth’s offensive rating was also around three points better per 100 possessions with Cotton on the floor, while Redhage (2.7 points across 33 games) announced that the season would be his last in the NBL.

Prather (19.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.6 steals across 32 games) remained Perth’s other major offensive weapon, while Wagstaff (9 points across 33 games), McKay (7.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks across 33 games) and Brandt (6 points across 33 games) provided further support around Knight. Martin (4.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.7 steals across 22 games) eventually returned and Perth finished with the NBL’s best defence, conceding almost three fewer points per 100 possessions than the next-best team despite its captain missing 11 games. Cotton finished as the NBL’s leading scorer, while Prather was selected to the All-NBL First Team and finished second in MVP voting with 107 votes behind Adelaide’s Jerome Randle (21.3 points and 5.4 assists across 31 games), who received 147. Prather received the Gordon Ellis Medal as club MVP, the Players’ Player and Members MVP awards, Martin was named the club’s Best Defensive Player, Brandt received the Most Improved Player award and Walker received the Coaches’ Award.

Perth entered its final round needing to win both games to extend its Finals streak, opening with a 101-74 victory over Sydney at Perth Arena as Kenny (3 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, and 2 steals) played 13:24 from the bench. Prather (29 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) and Cotton (21 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) led the Wildcats, while Brad Newley (19 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) was Sydney’s leading scorer.

Two days later in Melbourne, Kenny (8 points and 1 rebound) played 19:50 from the bench as Perth defeated United 96-94 behind Prather (26 points, 2 rebounds, 11 assists, and 1 steal) and Cotton (19 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists), while Josh Boone (27 points and 11 rebounds) led Melbourne. The victory secured Perth’s 31st consecutive postseason appearance and left the Wildcats third with a 15-13 record.

Perth opened the semifinals at the Cairns Convention Centre, where Kenny (2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal) played 15:19 as the Wildcats defeated the Taipans 91-69 behind Cotton (34 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals) and Prather (22 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals), while Travis Trice (15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) led Cairns.

Game two moved to Perth Arena, where Kenny (0 points and 2 rebounds) played 11:57 as Perth completed the sweep with a 74-66 victory behind Prather (24 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal) and Wagstaff (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals), while Trice (22 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) led Cairns.

Perth opened the Grand Final against Illawarra at Perth Arena, where Kenny (3 points and 1 assist) played 7:19 as the Wildcats won 89-77 behind Prather (22 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals), Cotton (18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Knight (18 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals), while Cody Ellis (12 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists) was Illawarra’s leading scorer.

Game two moved to the WIN Entertainment Centre, where Kenny (4 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, and 2 steals) played 17:06 as Perth again won 89-77. Cotton (20 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals), Prather (18 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Brandt (15 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) led the Wildcats, while AJ Ogilvy (21 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks) and Rotnei Clarke (21 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal) led Illawarra. Knight was helped from the court less than a minute into the third quarter with concussion symptoms.

Knight was ruled out of game three with concussion concerns, leaving Kenny (2 points) to play 11:53 from the bench as Perth defeated Illawarra 95-86 at Perth Arena. Cotton (45 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) made seven three-pointers and set a new NBL Grand Final single-game scoring record, while Prather (17 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) provided support and Clarke (30 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) led Illawarra. The Wildcats completed a 3-0 sweep and a perfect 5-0 postseason to claim their eighth championship and first back-to-back titles since 1991, with Cotton named Grand Final MVP after averaging 27.7 points across the series and Kenny winning his second NBL championship.

2017/18
Following consecutive championship seasons, Perth re-signed Grand Final MVP Bryce Cotton but lost two-time club MVP Casey Prather (to Melbourne), who had been unable to commit while pursuing NBA opportunities, Jameel McKay (to Spain) and Shawn Redhage (retired). Devondrick Walker (via Delaware) initially signed as Prather’s replacement, but fractured his left foot during the preseason and was ruled out before playing a regular-season game. The Wildcats replaced him with JP Tokoto (via Rio Grande Valley), while Derek Cooke Jr. (via Northern Arizona) replaced McKay and Lucas Walker was elevated from training player to the full-time roster.

Perth opened the season against Brisbane at Perth Arena on October 7, where Jarrod Kenny (4 points and 2 rebounds) came off the bench as Cotton (24 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Jesse Wagstaff (18 points) helped the Wildcats defeat the Bullets 96-86. Travis Trice (27 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Brisbane.

Kenny (4.7 points across 30 games) entered the second season of the three-year contract extension he signed in May 2016 and remained the backup point guard behind Damian Martin. When Kenny re-signed, Trevor Gleeson had encouraged him to be more aggressive from outside, saying, “We’ll want him to shoot more, he’s a very good shooter from the three-point area.” Kenny appeared in all 28 regular-season games and both semifinals, with no game missed through injury or illness.

Matthew Knight (5.4 points across 5 games) had planned to retire at the end of the season, but three head knocks during the opening weeks forced him to bring his retirement forward in early November. Clint Steindl (2.5 points across 22 games) (via Greece) was signed as his replacement.

Perth won 10 of its first 13 games and moved to the top of the ladder, with Greg Hire (2.3 points across 23 games) becoming the 11th Wildcat to play 200 games for the club before a low-grade calf strain forced him to miss five games. Martin (4.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 steals across 28 games) also missed two games with an ankle injury, while Steindl spent time sidelined as Perth’s form dropped away. Cooke Jr. (5.8 points and 5.4 rebounds across 29 games) came under repeated pressure over his production, but Perth resisted replacing him.

Kenny’s best game of the season came against Sydney at Perth Arena on January 19, where he made four of six three-pointers and finished with 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. Tokoto (20 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Cotton (17 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals) led Perth, while Jerome Randle (19 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) was Sydney’s leading scorer as the Kings defeated the Wildcats 84-77. The loss left Perth at 13-9 after its 10-3 start.

Kenny produced another strong performance against Adelaide on February 2, finishing with 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists as Wagstaff (25 points) and Cotton (25 points and 4 assists) led Perth to a 111-90 win, while Nathan Sobey (18 points and 4 rebounds) was Adelaide’s leading scorer. A melee broke out during the fourth quarter after Dexter Kernich-Drew and Brendan Teys clashed, with Kenny later charged with engaging in a melee and accepting an early plea and $375 fine. He was not suspended and remained available for the rematch two days later.

Perth closed the regular season against Cairns at Perth Arena on February 18, where Kenny (5 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) helped the Wildcats defeat the Taipans 89-61. Cotton (24 points and 6 assists) and Wagstaff (16 points and 3 rebounds) led Perth, while Jerry Evans Jr. (12 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals) was Cairns’ best as the Wildcats finished third with a 16-12 record and qualified for the postseason for a 32nd consecutive season.

Cotton (19.5 points and 1.2 steals across 30 games) and Tokoto (15.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.6 steals across 30 games) led Perth offensively, while Angus Brandt (9.6 points and 4.3 rebounds across 30 games), Wagstaff (9 points and 3.1 rebounds across 29 games) and Lucas Walker (8.7 points and 5.8 rebounds across 29 games) provided further support. Cotton won the Andrew Gaze Trophy as NBL MVP and earned All-NBL First Team honours, Tokoto was selected to the All-NBL Second Team and Martin won the NBL Best Defensive Player Award for a record sixth time.

Perth opened the semifinals in Adelaide, where Kenny (3 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists) came off the bench as the 36ers defeated the Wildcats 109-74. Cotton (22 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals) was Perth’s only player to reach double figures, while Josh Childress (22 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 steals), Mitch Creek (20 points and 11 rebounds), Shannon Shorter (18 points and 7 assists), Daniel Johnson (16 points and 10 rebounds) and Sobey (15 points and 4 assists) led Adelaide. The 35-point defeat was Perth’s second-biggest finals loss behind its 55-point loss to North Melbourne in 1989, while Adelaide became the first team to score 100 points against the Wildcats during the season.

Game two moved to Perth Arena, where Kenny (12 points) hit two three-pointers as Cotton (31 points and 3 assists) scored a Wildcats finals-record 19 points during the opening quarter and helped Perth build an 18-point lead. Tokoto (14 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Brandt (14 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) provided support, but Childress (25 points and 11 rebounds) scored the go-ahead basket with 24 seconds remaining, while Creek (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Sobey (13 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) helped Adelaide recover from five points down during the final minute to defeat Perth 89-88 and complete the semifinal sweep.

CAIRNS TAIPANS
2018/19
After finishing sixth with an 11-17 record the previous season, Cairns moved in a new direction, parting ways with long-time coach Aaron Fearne after nine seasons and appointing Mike Kelly. The Taipans also lost Cameron Gliddon (to Brisbane), Mitchell McCarron (to Melbourne), Jarrad Weeks (to New Zealand) and Stephen Weigh (retired), leaving Nathan Jawai, Alex Loughton and Kuany Kuany as the only returning players.

Kelly rebuilt the roster by adding Lucas Walker (via Perth), Rob Loe (via New Zealand), Dexter Kernich-Drew (via Perth) and Mitch Young (via Brisbane), alongside imports Melo Trimble, Devon Hall and DJ Newbill (via New Zealand).

After spending three seasons with Perth and winning back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017, Jarrod Kenny (via Perth) signed a two-year deal with Cairns on April 26. Kenny had also recently helped New Zealand win bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, with Kelly saying, “He’s a tough player that plays hard all the time.”

Cairns opened the season in Brisbane on October 13, where Kenny (0 points) came off the bench as the Taipans defeated the Bullets 88-70. Trimble (32 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) starred on debut and Newbill (16 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) also impressed, while Reuben Te Rangi (18 points and 3 rebounds) led Brisbane.

Kenny (4.9 points across 28 games) appeared in every game for Cairns, starting nine times and not missing any time through injury. He provided stability and leadership off the bench and led the Taipans in three-point shooting at 44 percent, making 27 three-pointers across the season. After winning its opening game, Cairns lost 14 consecutive games as the new-look roster struggled to find consistency.

Kenny’s best game of the season came against Brisbane on January 3, where he made six of nine shots and all three of his three-pointers to finish with 15 points and 6 rebounds. Hall (24 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) and Jawai (18 points and 4 assists) also produced strong games as Cairns defeated Brisbane 109-80 at the Cairns Convention Centre, ending its 14-game losing streak and recording its first home win of the season, while Lamar Patterson (27 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Brisbane.

On February 4, Kenny (13 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal) started against Illawarra and made three three-pointers, with Newbill (20 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) and Loe (16 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) also contributing, but Cedric Jackson (13 points, 10 assists, and 3 steals) helped the Hawks defeat Cairns 110-95.

Kenny’s competitive mentality, work ethic and willingness to fill whatever role was required earned him the Taipans’ Coaches Award. Trimble (22.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.2 steals across 28 games) led Cairns offensively and earned All-NBL Second Team honours as well as the club’s Most Valuable Player award, while Newbill (14.3 points and 4 rebounds across 27 games), Jawai (10 points and 5.2 rebounds across 27 games), Hall (8.8 points and 4.3 rebounds across 28 games), Loe (7.5 points and 4.8 rebounds across 28 games), Loughton (6.5 points across 25 games) and Walker (6.1 points and 4 rebounds across 26 games) were the team’s other major contributors. Cairns went 3-11 at home and 3-11 on the road.

Cairns closed the season against Sydney at Qudos Bank Arena on February 16, where Kenny (13 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) made all four of his field-goal attempts, including all three of his three-pointers. Trimble (21 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Loughton (17 points and 3 rebounds) also contributed, while Andrew Bogut (12 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 blocks) led Sydney to an 89-84 victory, leaving Cairns last with a 6-22 record.

2019/20
After finishing last with a 6-22 record in 2018/19, Cairns entered Mike Kelly’s second season looking to rebuild around a smaller returning core. Melo Trimble (to Melbourne), Rob Loe (to New Zealand), Lucas Walker (to Sydney), Dexter Kernich-Drew (to Melbourne), Kuany Kuany (to Sydney) and Devon Hall (to Oklahoma City) departed, while Alex Loughton and Mitch Young retired. Kelly added Scott Machado (via South Bay Lakers), Cameron Oliver (via Delaware), Majok Deng (via Adelaide), Mirko Djeric (via Dynamic Belgrade), Kouat Noi (via TCU), George Blagojevic (via Cairns Marlins) and Anthony Fisher (via Cairns Marlins), while Fabijan Krslovic was upgraded from development player to the full-time roster.

Kenny missed Cairns’ October 4 season opener against Sydney, his only game out for the season, with no injury or reason for the absence publicly confirmed. He returned for the October 11 road game against Brisbane, playing seven minutes without scoring as Cairns lost 90-74, with Oliver (16 points and 7 rebounds) and Machado (16 points and 10 assists) leading the Taipans, while Nathan Sobey (21 points and 5 assists) was Brisbane’s best.

Kenny (3.3 points across 30 games) remained Cairns’ experienced back-up point guard behind Machado, providing defence and a steadying presence off the bench throughout his second season with the Taipans.

One of Kenny’s best games came at RAC Arena on October 18, where he finished with 4 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists as Cairns stunned defending champion Perth 99-76 for its first win of the season. Oliver (22 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Deng (22 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led the Taipans, while Nicholas Kay (15 points and 5 rebounds) was Perth’s best.

Ten days later, Kenny (5 points) was ejected during the third quarter against Melbourne after receiving an earlier unsportsmanlike foul and then a technical foul, forcing Machado to play additional minutes. Jawai (18 points) and Oliver (17 points and 11 rebounds) helped Cairns recover from a 12-point quarter-time deficit, while Shawn Long (21 points and 17 rebounds) led Melbourne as the Taipans won 90-85 and improved to 2-4.

Kenny’s best game of the season came against Adelaide at the Cairns Convention Centre on January 18, where he made three three-pointers and finished with a season-high 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist off the bench. Newbill (28 points) and Oliver (24 points and 15 rebounds) led Cairns, while Daniel Johnson (38 points and 8 rebounds) starred for Adelaide as the Taipans won 108-91.

Another of Kenny’s best performances came in Adelaide on February 8, where he finished with 7 points, 1 assist, and 2 steals in 20 minutes as Cairns defeated the 36ers 99-80 and secured its first postseason appearance since 2017. Oliver (31 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks) and Newbill (17 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals) led the Taipans, while Johnson (14 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) was Adelaide’s best. The victory gave Cairns nine wins from 10 games and completed a remarkable turnaround from the previous season.

After opening the season 0-3, Cairns won seven of its next 11 games to reach 7-7 before putting together a five-game winning streak during the second half of the season. A loss to Sydney briefly stopped their momentum before another four consecutive victories secured a postseason berth with two games remaining.

Newbill (18.5 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.3 steals across 30 games) led Cairns in scoring, won NBL Best Defensive Player and earned All-NBL Second Team honours, while Oliver (17.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks across 31 games) joined him on the All-NBL Second Team. Machado (16.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and 1.3 steals across 31 games) led the NBL in assists, finished runner-up in MVP voting, earned All-NBL First Team honours and was named both NBL Fans MVP and Taipans MVP. Deng (11.9 points and 4 rebounds across 31 games), Noi (9.5 points and 5.8 rebounds across 22 games), Jawai (8 points and 3.4 rebounds across 31 games) and Djeric (7.3 points and 3 rebounds across 29 games) provided the other major production, while Kelly was named NBL Coach of the Year. Kenny’s contribution was also recognised by his teammates, who voted him the Taipans’ Player’s Player.

With third place already secured, Cairns closed the regular season against Brisbane at Nissan Arena on February 15, where Kenny (7 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist) played 20 minutes off the bench. Deng (20 points and 7 rebounds) and Oliver (13 points and 3 rebounds) led Cairns, while Sobey (30 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals) led Brisbane to a 124-88 win. Cairns finished third with a 16-12 record, improving by 10 wins from the previous season and recording its best finish since 2014/15.

Cairns opened its semifinal series against defending champion Perth at RAC Arena, where Kenny (2 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist) played nine minutes off the bench as Machado (31 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists), Newbill (25 points) and Oliver (19 points and 17 rebounds) pushed the Wildcats into overtime. Bryce Cotton (42 points and 6 assists) and Kay (23 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) led Perth, while Jesse Wagstaff (10 points and 3 rebounds) made two free throws to put the Wildcats three points ahead with 11 seconds remaining. Machado missed a tying three-pointer before putting back his own miss for two as Perth held on for a 108-107 win.

Game two moved to the Cairns Convention Centre, where Kenny (5 points, 1 rebound, and 2 assists) helped the Taipans build a 30-16 first-quarter lead and a 16-point advantage by halftime. Oliver (22 points and 19 rebounds), Newbill (16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) and Machado (13 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Cairns, while Clint Steindl (18 points) and Terrico White (13 points and 4 rebounds) led Perth as the Taipans won 85-74 and forced a deciding game.

The series returned to RAC Arena, where Kenny (2 assists in six minutes) saw limited court time as Oliver (20 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) and Machado (19 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) led Cairns, while White (26 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Kay (24 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) carried Perth. After the loss, Kelly pointed to Newbill and Jawai and said, “I think when I look back I’m gonna be able to reflect and see the big picture of what this group did led by these two,” and “how special the season was while it was still going.” Perth won 93-82 and ended Cairns’ season.

2020/21
After finishing third with a 16-12 record and falling one win short of the Grand Final the previous season, Cairns entered NBL21 looking to build on its breakthrough year under coach Mike Kelly. The NBL reducing the import limit from three to two saw DJ Newbill depart (to Japan), while Scott Machado and Cameron Oliver returned, Nathan Jawai re-signed and Jordan Ngatai (via New Zealand) joined after six seasons with the Breakers. NBA prospect Mojave King was also added through the Next Stars program.

On August 6, Jarrod Kenny re-signed with Cairns on a one-year deal for his third consecutive season with the club after helping the Otago Nuggets win the NZNBL championship and being named the league’s Best Defensive Player. “JK is the whole package, and he’s been huge for the Taipans in his two years here,” said Kelly.

Cairns opened the season against Sydney at the Cairns Pop-Up Arena on January 16, where Kenny (3 points and 2 rebounds) came from the bench as the Taipans recovered from six points down entering the fourth quarter to win 87-86. Machado (17 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1 steal) and Mirko Djeric (15 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists) led Cairns, while Casper Ware (18 points and 3 assists) was Sydney’s leading scorer.

Kenny (2.6 points across 36 games) continued as Cairns’ backup point guard, appearing in every game and making three starts. Kenny did not miss a game through injury during the season.

Kenny’s best all-around game came against Brisbane at Nissan Arena on January 30, where he finished with 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists, making three three-pointers and committing no turnovers. Kenny hit a three-pointer late in regulation to tie the scores and force overtime, with Machado (23 points, 5 rebounds, and 10 assists) and Oliver (21 points and 8 rebounds) leading Cairns, while Nathan Sobey (30 points and 4 assists) and Victor Law (29 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) led Brisbane before Law scored at the basket as time expired to give the Bullets a 105-103 win.

Kenny’s best scoring game came against Melbourne United at John Cain Arena on April 2, where he made four three-pointers and finished with 12 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. Oliver (19 points, 12 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block) and Ngatai (17 points and 6 rebounds) led Cairns, while Jock Landale (20 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 assists) led Melbourne to a 95-85 win.

Cairns’ season was heavily disrupted by injuries and departures. Oliver (17.3 points, 10 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks) led the team in scoring and rebounding before being waived on compassionate grounds after 24 games when complications with his wife’s pregnancy required him to return to the United States, with Venky Jois (6.4 points and 5.1 rebounds, via Pirot) signed as his replacement. Machado (15.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 7 assists) remained Cairns’ primary playmaker, while Majok Deng (12 points and 4.5 rebounds) missed 16 games after suffering a partial tear of his left MCL and Kouat Noi (10.1 points and 4.4 rebounds) missed the final 18 games after suffering a PCL tear. Djeric (8.6 points) made a career-high 66 three-pointers, Jawai (8.3 points and 3.8 rebounds) recorded four 20-point games for the first time since his rookie NBL season, while Ngatai (6.7 points) and King (6.2 points) were also regular contributors.

Cairns closed its season against New Zealand at the Energy Events Centre in Rotorua on June 2, where Kenny (6 points and 1 assist) made two three-pointers. Machado (21 points, 4 rebounds, and 11 assists) and Jawai (14 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led Cairns, while Tai Webster (23 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) led New Zealand to an 84-78 win as Cairns finished ninth with an 8-28 record.

2021/22
After finishing ninth with an 8-28 record and missing the playoffs, Cairns replaced Mike Kelly with former Sydney coach Adam Forde and lost leading scorer Cameron Oliver (to Houston), Fabijan Krslovic (to Tasmania) and Mojave King (to Adelaide). Forde retained captain Scott Machado, Majok Deng, Kouat Noi, Nathan Jawai, Mirko Djeric, Jarrod Kenny and Jordan Ngatai, while adding Tahjere McCall (via Orléans), Stephen Zimmerman (via Nymburk), Keanu Pinder (via Adelaide) and rookie Bul Kuol (via Detroit Mercy).

The veteran guard re-signed on a one-year deal for his fourth consecutive season with Cairns after previously playing under Forde with Perth and Hawke’s Bay. Forde viewed him as the experienced back-up to Machado and said, “As a back-up point to Scott Machado, it’s important that position is filled by someone with experience, accepting of the role and isn’t an offensive liability.”

Cairns opened the season at RAC Arena on December 5, where the veteran guard (1 assist and 1 steal) came off the bench as Noi (17 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block) and McCall (16 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) led the Taipans, while Cotton (31 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals) guided Perth to a 90-67 win.

Kenny (3.1 points across 21 games) remained Cairns’ experienced back-up point guard and made one start during the season. After playing the opening six games, back spasms ruled him out against Brisbane on February 5 before the injury kept him sidelined throughout the following three rounds. He missed seven consecutive games before returning to the rotation against Sydney on March 6 and played every remaining game.

Kenny’s best game came at Gippsland Regional Indoor Stadium on January 25, where he made all three of his three-point attempts and finished with 9 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists. McCall (16 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists) and Deng (13 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 blocks) led an undermanned Cairns side, while Creek (26 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 7 steals) guided South East Melbourne to an 87-77 win.

On March 25, Kenny (0 points) played his 200th NBL game as Cairns hosted South East Melbourne at the Cairns Convention Centre. McCall (14 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Pinder (12 points and 9 rebounds) led the Taipans, while Ashley (25 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals) helped the Phoenix win 86-74. Kenny said, “To be honest I didn’t really put too much thought into it having any more importance than any other game. It would have been nice to get a win and that was my only real goal for tonight. Obviously it’s a milestone and it’s an achievement, but for me I’d rather have the win.”

Cairns never fielded its full-strength roster during the season, with McCall (16.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 2 steals across 22 games) leading the team in scoring, assists and steals and sharing the club MVP award with Machado (10.2 points and 5.3 assists across 18 games). Deng (14.3 points and 4.7 rebounds across 28 games) finished second in scoring, while Zimmerman (11.4 points and 9.6 rebounds across 16 games) led the team in rebounding before a right-knee injury ended his season. Pinder (10.9 points and 7.6 rebounds across 28 games) was named the NBL’s Most Improved Player, Kuol (10.4 points across 28 games) made an Australian rookie-record 64 three-pointers and was named Rookie of the Year, while Noi (8.4 points and 4.6 rebounds across 16 games), Ayre (6.6 points and 3.8 assists across 8 games) and Jawai (5.9 points across 19 games) were the other main contributors.

Cairns ended its season at the Cairns Convention Centre on April 23, where Kenny (6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal), McCall (42 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block) and Deng (30 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) led the Taipans to a 112-98 win over Brisbane, while Franks (30 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 assists) led the Bullets as Cairns completed its first 4-0 Sunshine Stoush sweep and finished ninth with a 9-19 record.

Jarrod Kenny played seven seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Perth Wildcats and the Cairns Taipans. He averaged 3.9 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 209 NBL games.