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CAIRNS sent 2023 into mothballs with a second resounding win over NBL leader and championship favourite Melbourne, Illawarra continuing its rapid rise under interim coach Justin Tatum by schooling Adelaide in front of a roaring sold-out New Year's Eve crowd in Wollongong.

It was a stunning end to the year for United which briefly tasted the lead late in the third quarter before Cairns put on the last quarter after-burners to again reinforce it has the game to topple the top side.

And the Hawks' roll is in full swing, a rare sell-out at WIN Entertainment Centre revelling in the one-sided affair, not reflected in the final tighter scoreline.

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ISAAC Humphries enjoyed a career-best 20-point first half, Trey Kell produced the first triple-double by anyone since last January but the final scoreline of Adelaide's 84-91 loss to Illawarra in Wollongong still was super deceptive.

Apart from a couple of notable lapses which gave the 36ers a look in here and there, the Hawks were in total control from the moment they kept the listless visitors to their season-low first quarter of 12 points. 

With the exception of Humphries, who was a monolith inside the keyway (26 points at 54 per cent, nine rebounds, one block) and Kell, only Dejan Vasiljevic offered more than token resistance as Adelaide's recurring defensive indolence drew increasing frustration from interim coach Scott Ninnis.

Yes, for much of this game, Adelaide was the team universally selected to finish last and it appears to have settled comfortably into the bomb shelter.

Justin Robinson (19 points at 80 per cent, three assists) very much was on point, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk was having fun and Gary Clark delivering another routine double-double of 14 points, 12 rebounds.

Clark also contributed greatly to Jacob Wiley (two points, 1-of-4 shooting in 25 minutes) being largely a non-factor, the 36ers' offence and (lack of) ball movement also doing him no favours.

Working through Humphries, Adelaide managed to surge sufficiently to take a 41-40 lead into halftime, recovering from that futile 12-point first period with a promising 29-point second.

But the 36ers were back to their pointless, indirect and selfish worst in the third when they again could muster only a meagre 12 points in response to Illawarra's 31.

Humphries was running on empty but Kell and Vasiljevic picked it up in the last, making the final scoreline, discounting Todd Blanchfield's disallowed triple at the siren, appear respectable.

It was far from a respectable performance though as Ninnis tried desperately to find a combination or a group with sufficient discipline to make inroads.

Lachlan Olbrich and Next Star AJ Johnson both gave Illawarra quality minutes, unlike Adelaide Next Star Trentyn Flowers who was 0-of-6 from the floor - one foul and one turnover his only other stats in 13:54 of disappointment. 

ILLAWARRA HAWKS 91 (Robinson 19, Clark 14, Swaka Lo Buluk 12, Harvey 11, Blanchfield 10; Clark 12 rebs; Robinson, Clark, Harvey 3 assts) d ADELAIDE 36ERS 84 (Humphries 26, Vasiljevic 17, Kell 16; Kell 10 rebs; Kell 12 assts) at WIN Entertainment Centre. Crowd: 5,101

FORCING a Melbourne time-out inside the game's first 90 seconds, it was evident Melbourne coach Dean Vickerman already could read what was coming as Cairns raced 6-0 clear.

It did the trick, initially at least, Tanner Krebs tying the game at 12-12, and Ian Clark again at 14-14. But in truth, the Taipans were having none of it.

Having humbled United in Melbourne, 3-pointers by Sam Mennenga (career-high 22 points at 58 per cent, 6-of-11 threes, 11 rebounds) and Bobi Klintman restored their control and while Melbourne hung around, it did appear a few players had the post-game New Year's Eve party on their minds.

Cairns, in contrast, rarely faltered, Pat Miller en route to 31 points at 70 per cent, with 2-of-3 threes - not his strength - and entertaining troublemaking teammate Tahjere McCall compiling 15 points with 10 assists.

Only a brief stink-patch for Miller late in the third quarter when he sandwiched two turnovers around a poor shot selection, marred his performance and gave Melbourne a hint of an opening.

Down 49-59, Chris Goulding connected on three 3-pointers in rapid succession, his third after Clark brought the score to 57-59, giving United its first lead of the match at 60-59.

Miller restored order, Jo Lual-Acuil (15 points, four offensive rebounds) pushed Melbourne ahead again, then later tied it with a free throw at 63-63.

But that was that. Mennega was having an exceptional night, another threeball giving Cairns a 66-63 buffer with a period to play.

Frankly, Cairns could not have played it better, Mennenga's three its first score of a last quarter bonanza which saw it leave United gasping on the Taipans' fumes 29-15.

The lead continued to balloon before Melbourne clawed back to 70-74. Consecutive 3-pointers by Miller made it a 10-point buffer again and it only got uglier from there for Melbourne with Bul Kuol, Klintman with a dunk - "Triple M" - Mennenga, McCall, Miller all big from there. 

CAIRNS TAIPANS 94 (Miller 31, Mennenga 22, McCall 15, Kuol; 12; Mennenga 11 rebs; McCall 10 assts) d MELBOURNE UNITED 78 (Lual-Acuil 15, Clark, Goulding 14; Hukporti, Travers 7 rebs; Dellavedova, Travers 2 assts) at Cairns Convention Centre. Crowd: 4,802