THE Mount Gambier Pioneers will look for their third consecutive win tonight when they host the Bendigo Braves at the Icehouse for Round 4 of the South East Australian basketball season.
A tough match can be expected, as the Braves currently sit third on the premiership ladder, with two wins from two games, while the Pioneers trail in sixth place with three wins from four.
However, this will not deter the hosts, as they spend their third successive game in front of a home crowd, with the first two showing some solid performances.
Last week Erik Burdon celebrated his 200th game in style, bagging a game-high 29 points in his side’s 32-point victory over the Diamond Valley Eagles.
With five three-pointers and eight free throws for the match, he will be looked to for another big game this round.
Kyle Tipene also contributed well against the Eagles with 22 points, while Lewis Thomas rounded out the double-figure scores with 15.
Up-and-coming star Kane deWit was in fine form throughout the clash, putting his body on the line to set up opportunities for the Pioneers, while claiming 13 rebounds for the game.
He will be one to watch again tonight and the home crowd will be sure to get behind him once more if he replicates this performance.
The Pioneers did not have the ideal start to 2018, with a Round 1 loss setting an unfamiliar tone for the side.
But they redeemed themselves the following week, as they returned to the comforts of home for a dominant 33-point over Albury Wodonga in a high-scoring match.
Tom Daly was the standout for that night, bagging a monstrous 40 points, but he was absent from last week’s clash, as was Adelaide 36ers recruit Majok Deng and Luke Jamieson.
Injuries have been a problem for the side in the early stages of the season, with Brad Hill also spending time on the sidelines this year.
Sitting out for Round 2, Hill returned to the court for last week’s match.
For Bendigo, neither of its wins this year have been easy.
In Round 1 the Braves claimed a narrow one-point victory over Diamond Valley, which was followed by a week off in the second round.
Last week the side returned to the court for a four-point win over the Hobart Chargers.
Jeremy Kendle scored big in the Round 1 clash, finishing his night with 36 points, while Ray Turner was the next best with 20.
Kendle backed up this performance in his second game with 19 points, along with Turner who top-scored alongside Indiana Faithfull with 24 each.
The Pioneers will need to target these players and keep them quiet if they are to succeed in this match.
With the Pioneers yet to face the Chargers this season, the pre-game comparison between tonight’s hosts and the visiting Braves will be based on their meetings with Diamond Valley.
In this regard the Pioneers look to have the advantage, as they easily accounted for the side last week, while Bendigo just scraped through with the win.
If all goes to plan tonight should see the Pioneers move up in the ladder standings, before they prepare for a double-header round on the road next week.
