THE Mount Gambier Pioneers will continue their uphill battle tonight when they head across the border to face Bendigo Braves in Round 11 of the South East Australian Basketball League season.
And the task becomes even more difficult when they back up tomorrow night against Ballarat Miners, also on the road.
Time is running out in the 2018 season, with the Pioneers still out of playoff contention, but changes in recent weeks have provided some hope of a happy ending to the season.
However, it will take a perfect storm for the unlikely to become reality.
The Pioneers need to take matters into their own hands and start to chalk up wins now.
Last week the side went down to top-placed Kilsyth Cobras by just three points in extra time, which showed what the team can achieve with a full roster.
It was just the second game for the season the Pioneers had fielded a full roster, with American import player Alex Marzette only arriving in town a couple of days prior to the Round 9 game against Dandenong.
As a result he managed less than 10 minutes on the floor in that game, but last week against the Cobras he rose to the occasion and scored 18 points as the side went down in a heart-wrenching result.
He still has some way to go before he settles properly into the roster, but the signs were certainly there.
With Sam McDaniel joining the side just a few games ago, the roster looks strong, with this weekend’s fixture a must-win if the side is to remain in contention for a playoff position.
Mount Gambier sits down in 12th position after 11 games, with a top-eight finish required to reach the post season.
The next eight days provides a real test, with Nunawading heading to the Icehouse next Thursday for a catch-up game that was cancelled earlier in the season, followed by Frankston on the Friday night.
But first the Pioneers need to find some form and lock in a couple of wins from this weekend.
Last time Mount Gambier faced Bendigo was in Round 4 at the Icehouse, where a very slight roster saw the home side go down by 14 points.
There was no Brad Hill, Tom Daly or Majok Deng, with little to replace the three big names.
Still, Lewis Thomas, Kyle Tipene and Luke Jamieson managed double-figure scores to keep the Pioneers in the game.
Kane de Wit, Thomas and Erik Burdon all played more than 35 minutes to cover the lack of personnel, making for a tough run down the stretch as fatigue set in.
This time the Braves will face a much stronger lineup, with the Pioneers having enough bodies now to cover the short fall, with both McDaniel and Marzette showing promise for the remainder of the season.
Ballarat will be somewhat of an unknown, as the two sides are yet to face off in 2018.
The Miners have played one more game than the Braves, but have only two more wins to their name, despite their third place on the ladder.
They will be no pushover, with big scorers in the side such as Peter Hooley, who averages 21.2 points-per-game and Davon Usher with 18.3.
They have plenty more firepower as well, which is sure to keep the Pioneers honest.
If Marzette can settle further into the side and McDaniel can continue to perform to his current standard, the Pioneers will certainly be in with a chance of two road victories.
The likes of Burdon, Lewis and Jamieson have continued to perform this season, now with extra support on the floor, while Daly has made a dynamic return after his early injury.
The experience gained through extra court time this season by the likes of Tipene and de Wit is sure to help that scenario unfold.
Should the Pioneers win both games this weekend their playoff hopes will not be dashed and the chance of a miraculous recovery could be in sight.
It will be a long, hard road, but one that is achievable – if everything runs to script.
