THE 2017-18 Country Victoria Basketball League season will tip off this weekend.
The Mount Gambier Lakers men will be out to defend their 2016-17 South West Conference title when they open their season against Terang at the Bern Bruning stadium on Sunday at 1pm.
Terang lost their last season semi-final to Horsham, who in turn were beaten by the Lakers 92-82 in the grand final.
Ryan Meakin will return as playing coach for the Lakers along with 2017 conference MVP Kane deWit.
Other squad members include Matt Berkefeld, Dellon Brown, Zach deWit, Brodie Jolley, Lachlan Atkinson, Luke Black and Mitch Hunter, while the team manager is Tracy Brown.
Millicent Magic’s men and women teams are competing in their second season.
The Magic women led the conference during the regulation season to finish as minor premiers last year.
However, the side was knocked out of the finals in an upset semi-final loss to Geelong.
For the Magic men it was only percentage which saw the team miss out on finals action.
Both teams are confident of being serious finals contenders this season.
Magic will start its season this Saturday night when it hosts Terang.
This season is a smaller conference with six teams in each of the men’s and women’s competitions.
Millicent, Portland, Ararat and Colac have teams in both divisions, while the Lakers men and Geelong women make up the six.
The Lakers men have another home game on Saturday October 28 at 7pm against Millicent.
This will be followed by a double header at home hosting Portland on Saturday November 4 at 7pm and Colac on Sunday November 5 at 1 pm.
