JUST three games remain for the Mount Gambier Pioneers in the 2018 South East Australian Basketball League season minor rounds and the side still has not secured a playoff position.
The Pioneers would hope to defend their 2017 championship title, but have struggled all year to piece good performances together due to injury woes.
However, they are still in the running and sit just one game out of contention.
Tonight they face a tough Geelong Supercats outfit and need to secure a victory to provide the best chance of post season action.
The Supercats sit sixth on the ladder with 10 wins, while the Pioneers are down in ninth with nine victories.
The two sides faced off back in Round 1, with the Pioneers going down by 10 points.
That result adds to the pressure tonight, with the final placings on the ladder likely to be decided by head-to-head results in the minor rounds, should several teams finish on the same points.
That scenario looks very likely, therefore the best result tonight would be a victory by 11 points or more.
But the Pioneers will need to dig deep, even with the home court advantage at the Icehouse, with injury concerns still causing the team headaches.
Sam McDaniel has not played for the past three games, but the side has still recorded victories.
However, his presence would certainly be a bonus tonight if he is right to go.
Last time the two sides met saw Majok Deng and Brad Hill in the lineup, with the Pioneers out to a lightning start with 24 first-quarter points, while holding the Supercats to just 14.
It was the perfect start to the season, but it all went pear-shaped as Geelong hit back and controlled the game, taking the lead in the third term and going on from there.
There were no big scorers for the Supercats, apart from John Davis, who managed 18.
But Davis has consistently racked up points since then, currently averaging 21 per game after 17 outings.
He will certainly be a danger to the Pioneers’ hopes, as will Nathan Herbert (18.2) and Demarcus Gatlin (16.9).
They are the only three Supercats who average in the double-figure range, while the Pioneers boast five current players with that statistic.
Captain Tom Daly will lead the charge with 21.3 points-per-game, based on just seven games.
McDaniel sits with a 20-point average, but he is under an injury cloud.
Alex Marzette (17.9) joined the team recently and has set the league on fire with some impressive returns, including 60 points over two games in a double-header two weeks ago – where he also made team of the week for the league, as he did again in the last round.
Lewis Thomas averages 16 and Erik Burdon 13.4.
Thomas has been a great find for the Pioneers this season, with his best effort a 26-point game against Frankston back in May.
In fact, such is his consistency, there have only been two occasions where he has not reached double figures this year.
Of course Burdon needs no introduction, with his three-point shooting sure to be called upon tonight.
The likes of Thomas and Luke Jamieson will need to work hard around the basket to ensure missed shots are reeled in at both ends of the floor, while Daly will certainly have a big job controlling
the play and leading his side by example.
The Pioneers are on a role, with five wins on the trot despite missing McDaniel for the last three games.
They will need to keep that form rolling tonight, with the home fans sure to provide extra incentive.
While there are no easy games in this competition, as can be seen by the current ladder, the 11th placed Melbourne and 12th placed Sandringham follow to round out the home-and-away season for the Pioneers.
Tonight’s game tips off at 7.30pm.
