THE Mount Gambier Lakers will be in the box seat for another home-court victory when they host the Ararat Redbacks at the Icehouse on Saturday night in the penultimate minor round of the Country Basketball League South West men’s competition.
Still in second on the ladder, the Lakers remain just behind the Horsham Hornets in the premiership standings, but should emerge from tomorrow night’s game with their 12th win of the season.
The last meeting with the Redbacks was nothing short of a proper flogging.
A final margin of 59-points was the result, with the Ararat hosts only scoring 28 for the game and no player in the team reaching double figures.
In contrast, the Lakers had a consistent performance across the board, with Jordan Hollitt top scoring with 18 points.
Matt Berkefeld finished with 13, coach Kane de Wit had 11 and Simon Berkefeld scored 10.
Eight points to Sam Stafford, Braiden Ousey, plus Lachie and Mitchell Hunter bolstered the score, with every player in the lineup doing their part.
Another consistent effort can be expected from the Lakers tomorrow and with the likes of Lachie Hunter in dangerous form of late, another decent margin can be expected.
Hunter will be joined by the likes of Ousey, de Wit and Stafford, who have all been among the top scorers in recent rounds.
A quiet seven points to de Wit last week was most likely due to the selfless coach giving himself less court time and that was only the second time this season he has scored in single figures.
He will likely pack a punch if needed, but if a solid lead is established he may step back once more and allow his team to flourish.
And with no shortage of firepower in the roster, that may well be the case.
For the Redbacks, Zachary Dunmore – who was absent from the previous clash with the Lakers – will be the main threat if he takes to the court.
He has played just eight of his team’s 12 matches this season, but averages 24.25 points from those games.
DJ Woods and Joshua Fiegert are the only other notable scorers, both averaging just over 15 points a game and were also absent last time they faced the Lakers.
The three players add some unknown to the clash, as well as the fact the round nine meeting between the two sides was the last game the Redbacks have played, with two byes following.
These factors could see the competition tightened up, but based off the current form of the Lakers, they should get the job done.
The game is set to tip off at 7pm.
