Skytrans Cairns Taipans forward Cameron Tragardh will lead the North All-Stars into the 2012 NBL All-Star Game in Adelaide after topping fan voting across the League.

‘Trigger’ polled 1,401 fan votes to secure his ticket to Adelaide as the North All-Star team’s starting centre.

He will be joined in the North starting line-up by Ben Madgen (Sydney Kings), Adris Deleon (Wollongong Hawks), Darnell Lazare (Sydney Kings) and Oscar Forman (Wollongong Hawks).

Tragardh, the League’s seventh-ranked scorer (14.7ppg) and second-best offensive rebounder (2.7 per game), thanked NBL fans for their support in fulfilling a childhood dream.

“It’s exciting – I remember growing up watching the NBL All-Star game and dreaming of one day playing in it,” Tragardh said.

“To live that dream is awesome and I want to thank our great Cairns fans as well as fans from all around the League for voting for me,” he said.

Tragardh was the leading vote-getter for the duration of fan voting, but said during that time he’d focussed solely on his Taipans’ performance.

“I honestly haven’t thought about it until now. We dug ourselves a bit of a hole which we’re starting to get out of, so it’s had to be all about the team,” he said.

“I am looking forward to the All-Star game though, so thanks to everyone for voting and it should be a fun event.”

Skytrans Cairns Taipans head coach Aaron Fearne congratulated Tragardh on his achievement.

“To be the leading vote-getter shows people have taken note of his performance to date, it’s a credit to him,” Fearne said.

“He came to Cairns in great shape, and has played with a point to prove which I’ve been really happy with,” he said.

The NBL will announce the North and South All-Star reserves next week.

The 2012 National Basketball League All-Star starting line-ups are:

North All-Stars
Centre: Cameron Tragardh (Skytrans Cairns Taipans)
Forward: Darnell Lazare (Sydney Kings)
Forward: Oscar Forman (Wollongong Hawks)
Guard: Ben Madgen (Sydney Kings)
Guard: Adris Deleon (Wollongong Hawks)

South All-Stars
Centre: Daniel Johnson (Adelaide 36ers)
Forward: Seth Scott (Melbourne Tigers)
Forward: Tom Abercrombie (New Zealand Breakers)
Guard: Cedric Jackson (New Zealand Breakers)
Guard: Kevin Lisch (Perth Wildcats)