THE Mount Gambier Pioneers face a tough double-header on the road in Round 5 of South East Australian basketball this weekend.
The side – which now sits in eighth on the ladder after its loss to Bendigo – will be up against it when facing both Frankston on Saturday and Kilsyth on Sunday this weekend.
The Pioneers are still without key starting players Brad Hill and Tom Daly, but have recently secured National Basketball League player Tim Conrad.
Conrad plays for the Illawarra Hawks and is certainly a welcomed inclusion to the weekend’s tough games on the road.
While the additional player is a positive, Mount Gambier will still be up against it.
Particularly now that Kane DeWit has a question mark over his head, due to a foot injury he suffered early this week.
DeWit has been one of the players to step up in the opening rounds and his absence will cause more issues for the Pioneers.
However, coach Richard Hill remains optimistic about the hurdles ahead, particularly with Conrad on the books.
“We have been able to secure Tim Conrad, who plays in the NBL for Wollongong,” he said.
“He is a good friend of Brad’s (Hill) and I know him well, he has also played with Luke (Jamieson).
“He is coming into Mount Gambier to train with us and will play on the weekend, to give us some extra body.”
Conrad is a welcomed inclusion to the depleted side, which will have two tough games over the weekend.
“For us, we have got to that point where we do not have enough body to compete properly, in two games over two days,” Richard Hill said.
“Now that we have added Tim to our line-up, Kane is unlikely to play.
“We are having a bit of a bad trot.”
The Pioneers intended on taking 10 players on the road, but have been forced to settle with just eight.
That eight includes Brad Rathjen.
Rathjen will suit up for Mount Gambier to also assist in the lacking numbers, despite turning his focus to football in recent years.
While times are currently tough in the Pioneers’ camp, Hill said the team will take the weekend one game at a time – the first obstacle being Frankston.
“We are really keen to go in and compete as hard as we can,” he said.
“Frankston is an evolving team, they have just brought in some new players and they look like they will be pretty decent.
“They have not been winning much, but they have been competitive.
“We will go in with a positive attitude, which our guys always have and attack Frankston in Frankston to see if we can get a win on the board and then front up the next day and see how we shape up against Kilsyth.”
The second game will be no easy feat as Hill believes the Cobras are one of the most talented sides in the league.
“Kilsyth has really loaded up, they are basically a new team, which is very deep and talented,” he said.
“There is no doubt Kilsyth will be in the top four and probably the most talented team in the comp, so that is going to be really tough, backing up the second day against them.
“But we do know our players will give it their best shot.”
While the injuries have resulted in the Pioneers being less competitive in the opening rounds of the season, Hill said there is always a silver lining.
“There will be some long-term benefits from guys having opportunities to play and taking more responsibility,” he said.
“Kyle (Tipene) and Kane (DeWit) are two that have really done that.
“We brought Chol Luk to develop him as a basketball player and give us something if not late this year, early next year and we have had to fast track him.
“But while the injuries have given these players time to shine, they can not be expected to carry the load over a long period, so we have got to get some of these other guys back.”
However, there are no dates set for neither Brad Hill or Daly’s return to the floor.
“We do not want to take any risks,” Hill said.
“I think the best scenario would be to get these guys back not next week, maybe the week after.
“There is a silver lining in all of this and we will be better for it, whether it means it is against our chances of making play-offs or something, I think there is a chance that can happen.
“But at the end of the day, you have got to learn from all of these experiences and we have been very fortunate for a long time.”
