AFTER a tough start to the South East Australian Basketball League 2018 season, the Mount Gambier Pioneers have yet another hurdle to overcome.
Injuries have decimated the first half of the season for the club, with the latest situation seeing one of the stars of the competition set to hang up his gym shoes.
It was announced by the Pioneers this week Brad Hill will not play for the remainder of the season, forced out after an ongoing ankle injury.
Hill has battled the injury for the past two seasons with a degenerative condition in his ankle.
Off-season surgery was unable to fix the problem.
Hill told The Border Watch this week it would ultimately mean retirement from the game, which is a hard pill to swallow after such a successful career.
“I’m still wrapping my head around what is next for me, what is going on,” he said.
“Meeting with the surgeon and speaking with my family and my wife, my long-term health is my priority over basketball right now.”
Hill has played a major role in the success of the Pioneers in recent years, part of the past five championship playoff games.
He completed 277 NBL games – 139 of those with the Adelaide 36ers – plus 191 SEABL games.
Of those SEABL games, 138 were with the Pioneers, which has included three national titles and many other accolades along the way.
He has been an all-SEABL team member on three occasions, Alan Scott medallist twice – plus runner-up twice – and was grand final MVP in the Pioneers first championship win of the current era.
Over the course of his 191-game SEABL career Hill averaged an impressive 16.8 points-per-game, shooting at 45.5pc from the field, plus 71.4pc from the free-throw line.
He pulled down an average of 6.7 rebounds, along with 2.6 assists per game.
Hill started as a Sturt junior then graduated to the Australian Institute of Sport.
He has represented Australia at both junior and senior levels.
Injury concerns this season sees the Pioneers with just four wins from nine games, which made the decision to pull out mid-season even tougher for Hill.
“When you have been playing professionally as long as I have, it would be a big decision whenever it happens, but especially during the season,” he said.
“I am just trying to be as least disruptive as I possibly can.”
Despite the disappointing news, Hill can rightly be proud of what he has achieved in the sport.
“I have been lucky to play basketball for as long as I have at a high level,” he said.
“Combine that with playing 10 years in the NBL, then the chance to come down here and play with my old man, win some championships and have some success, it has been a good run.”
It is that run with the Pioneers Hill holds dear, with the success of the club something special in his career.
“SEABL started for me back at the AIS,” he said.
“To come back at the latter end of my career, play here and win some championships has been a really enjoyable experience.
“It really has been an amazing run.
“When you look at the history of the SEABL or most other sports in general, not many teams have had a run quite like we have over the last few years.
“I’m hoping the guys can find a way to keep it going this year.
“It is difficult to find many teams that have had comparable streaks.
“For us to be able to do that for as many consecutive seasons as we have has been a pretty amazing accomplishment.
“When I look at it I feel fortunate to be a part of it.
“It has been a hell of a run.
“I’m thankful for it and thankful for what the club has done for me.”
Hill said it was good to see the side win last Friday night, after struggling to find enough numbers for training sessions, let alone game nights.
He said he was impressed with how the players had handled the injury woes this season, with the side in with a chance of victory in every game.
And while the time to call it a day has arrived, Hill is in no hurry to move on just yet.
“I’m not planning on going anywhere,” he said.
“I committed to be a part of this season, so I do not want to let the guys down in terms of being involved.
“I think I can add some benefit to the group, helping them off the court or even on the court as well.
“I think it is a situation where I can gain some new skills and look at the game a little differently, maybe offer some mentoring and some advice to the guys along the way.
“I just want to find ways to positively impact the group and see where it takes the team and myself as well.”
Hill said he hopes to remain involved in sport at some level, with some thoughts on coaching or whatever life may bring.
“I look at the whole situation and the last couple of years I have given all these things a bit more thought, knowing where things were slowly heading,” he said.
“I would still like to stay involved in sport one way or another, whether it be coaching or doing something else.
“After being involved in the NBL for as long as I have and just being around the game and the Pioneers, I feel I have gained a lot of knowledge.
“I have learnt a lot along the way from the mistakes I have made and the things I have done well.
“I feel it would be wrong not to use that information to help others in the sport.
“It is disappointing this season has ended so quick, but it has been a good run and basketball has been pretty good to me.
“Whatever happens next, I’m looking forward to that.”
