AFTER a cancelled game last round dropped the Mount Gambier Pioneers out of the top eight on the South East Australian Basketball League ladder, this weekend holds no guarantees they will return to finals contention just yet.
A tough double road trip sees the side head across Bass Strait to the Apple Isle to face the Hobart Chargers tonight, then North West Tasmania Thunder tomorrow night.
The Chargers currently sit in fourth place with five wins and two losses, while the Thunder is down in 11th, two positions below the Pioneers with four wins and four losses.
The Pioneers were certainly hurt with the cancelled game last round, with a real possibility for a victory on their home court with the inclusion of Illawarra NBL player Tim Coenraad in the line up.
However, just like Nunawading, Coenraad was stuck in Melbourne due to a flight delay and the result now appears to be history.
For coach Richard Hill it is a disappointing situation, with no word about a rescheduled game from the league.
“We have given them some dates to try to make it work,” he said.
“We will throw in any Sunday to help the situation, so it is up to the league now.”
Apart from that missed game, injury woes continue for the Pioneers, with no returns expected this weekend.
Still out will be Brad Hill, Tom Daly and Majok Deng.
A bonus this weekend will be the return of Coenraad, who impressed in the last double road trip, where he slotted in to help the side and returned with a 26-point game, followed by 30 points the next day.
The main problem will be tonight’s game against the Chargers.
Hobart shows plenty of scoring power, with Tre Nichols averaging over 25 points-per-game, while Mathiang Muo and Craig Moller are both high up in the teens.
Moller actually averages double-double figures, with his 18.7 points complemented by 13.9 rebounds.
That makes for a tough game first up, with the Pioneers sure to be tested and then required to back up for another hard game tomorrow night.
While the Thunder may sit further down the order, they will be no pushover.
They boast four players with double-figure scoring averages, simply adding to the difficulty of the weekend ahead.
“They are both pretty good teams,” Richard Hill said.
“Things have not got any better for us and we do not have anyone back, so we will only take eight guys across.
“Tim will meet us in Hobart so he will be a big help for the weekend.”
A possible starting five for the Pioneers will be Luke Jamieson, Lewis Thomas, Coenraad, Erik Burdon and Kyle Tipene, with Kane de Wit coming off the bench, along with Dellon Brown and Millicent’s Josh Murphy, who has another chance to show his skill.
But despite the issues faced, Hill was philosophical about the challenge ahead, now and further into the season.
“The competition is pretty hot at the moment,” he said.
“We have been struggling and it has been tough, but we just have to hand in there.”
