THE 2021 NBL1 South season has come to an end for the OneFortyOne Pioneers women.
The Pioneers last played on July 10 at the Icehouse against the Sandringham Sabres, with the women’s team having their last team training in Naracoorte recently.
The last six rounds of the NBL1 South season were postponed due to Government-enforced lockdown in Victoria.
The Basketball Victoria managed competition has provided all clubs with a strategy to complete the season, but due to ladder position the Pioneers women would not be eligible.
The OneFortyOne Pioneers had won three of their 13 games in the club’s debut season of NBL1 South.
The commitment of both teams throughout the disrupted season has been challenging for both the women’s and men’s teams.
“Head coach Matt Sutton and our OneFortyOne Pioneers players and support staff have been incredibly resilient through the ups and downs of the season,” club president Tom Kosch said.
“The progress our women were making through the middle of the season was outstanding and we were excited to see what the back end of competition could show given the development and chemistry this group were displaying both on and off court.”
The Castec Rural Pioneers men currently remain training in hope they can compete within a modified finals series.
The men currently sit in fifth position on the NBL1 South ladder on nine wins and four losses.
“Whilst there is a possibility for our men to be part of a final’s series in 2021, the unknown challenges of the COVID cluster in Victoria as well as South Australian border closure make it difficult for interstate clubs eligible for finals,” Kosch said.
“Our OneFortyOne Pioneer women will remain active in our community for the next few weeks and assist the club with events to draw an end to the 2021 season.”
