Pioneers refuse to give up hope

EXPERIENCED HEAD: Erik Burdon joins Tom Daly as two remaining core players from the Pioneers 2018 roster as the club looks to rebuild and create new history in Adelaide’s Premier League competition in 2019.

THE Mount Gambier Pioneers have been pushed to the edge of extinction, but stand to rise from the ashes and rebuild what had become one of the most successful clubs in the South East Australian Basketball League competition.

Recent decisions by Basketball Australia to no longer sanction the SEABL competition, thus causing its collapse, left the Pioneers with few options.

They were not wanted in the new Victorian elite competition which was formed in the wake of the SEABL collapse and the Adelaide-based Premier League was reluctant to accept them into the fold.

Much financial hardship followed, as the Pioneers bent to breaking point, but now the club’s short-term future is assured as it is set to compete in Adelaide, with a women’s side to complement the men.

It all sounds good on paper, but the damage which was done to the team runs deep – financially and emotionally.

Coach Richard Hill said he was basically left with just two players from last year’s SEABL roster – Tom Daly and Erik Burdon – with the remainder forced to look further afield to secure a game at the top level.

The likes of Kyle Tipene (Queensland), Lewis Thomas (Geelong), Luke Jamieson (Canberra), Sam McDaniel (Melbourne), Kane de Wit (Adelaide – Forestville) and Lachie Hunter (Adelaide – University) have all gone from the roster.

“We have pretty much lost everybody and are starting fresh,” Hill said.

“We have Tom and Eze (Erik Burdon) – they are really the only two guys we have left.

“Everyone else is gone for one reason or another, mainly because of so much uncertainty.

“We did not know until Friday before Christmas whether we would have a team or not.”

But it was more than just a roster to Hill and it is easy to understand his disappointment.

“You do all that work for seven years and it gets torn down all around you,” he said.

“What we had in place was a really good plan going forward.

“The guys we brought in were earmarked to be the next generation of Pioneers, but because of what happened they have all gone.”

This week’s announcement of international Kentrell Barkley is another step towards rebuilding the team, with more announcements expected soon.

But it will be a long road back to where the side was in recent seasons.

However, Hill is not daunted by the task ahead – and certainly has the runs on the board after taking the side from obscurity to multiple championship titles – although he admits it is much bigger than when he originally came to coach the side.

“We have Tom and Eze, we have the new import signed and we are going to sign another import,” Hill said.

“We should have five really good players and one of the best starting fives in the competition.

“After that we will have pretty much a bunch of kids who go to school still, but that is good in a way.

“It is a tough scenario for us, but the most important thing will be to survive all this, be competitive and keep the club going.

“It has been pretty debilitating and has cost the club a lot of money, but we are training and have guys out there working their butts off.

“We will be ready to go.”

The team structure will see many of those younger players have a chance to step up to the plate and show their worth much earlier than would have been the case in the SEABL competition, which Hill said he was also excited about.

“I like the fact some young kids will get an opportunity,” he said.

“I will have to fast track them – what was going to take two or three years now has to happen overnight.

“Now these guys will not have to wait, they will jump in playing before their time.”

While the official season tips off on March 2, all the preparation needs to be in place as much as possible by February 15 for the Millicent pre-season tournament.

Hill expects the side to be mostly complete by then, which will give supporters a chance to see what the Pioneers will be up against week in, week out and how the new team structure will look on the floor.

Through all of the drama since the end of the 2018 SEABL season, Hill said he has been buoyed by the community support received.

He said he hopes to see that support flow over into the season when the side plays its first home game.

“The support has been tremendous,” Hill said.

“The competition should be exciting.

“There will be a women’s team out there and a bunch of new guys, which should be really exciting for the locals.

“I think the competition should be solid and will be worth going out to watch.”