IT was another successful weekend for the Mount Gambier Pioneers men, who claimed two wins in round nine of the Basketball SA Premier League competition.
The Pioneers took care of Forestville Eagles on Saturday night by just four points, before backing up on Sunday to record an 11-point win over Woodville Warriors, without Sam Daly in the lineup.
The results see the Pioneers now with a six/two win/loss record for the season, on track for a playoff position in their first year in the competition.
The games were highlighted by double-doubles to both American import players DayJar Dickson and Kentrell Barkley Saturday night.
Barkley top scored in that game with 23 points and pulled down 17 rebounds, while Dickson managed 14 of each.
Sunday Barkley continued his form with 18 points and 18 rebounds to again top score, alongside Brad Rathjen, who also contributed 18 points.
The weekend’s double header was anything but easy, as Forestville had dropped just one game before the match.
The Eagles led at the first break on Saturday by a slim two points, but the Pioneers turned that around in the second quarter.
The quarter saw an all-round effort under the basket, with Barkley, Dickson, Rathjen, Matt Black, Erik Burdon and captain Tom Daly all finding points.
That put the Pioneers up by four at the long break, with plenty to do from there.
As expected the Eagles fought back and took a two-point advantage to the final break, with the last quarter set for an epic clash.
Dickson tied the game up early, but former Pioneer Kane de Wit took the lead for the Eagles soon after.
Lachie Hunter then tied it up again, before Dickson gave the visitors a tentative two-point buffer.
Hunter added another two and the Pioneers were on track for a win.
When Barkley added a two-point basket then sunk the subsequent free throw the Pioneers were up by six.
It was hardly a match-winning margin and as expected the Eagles hit back.
But a pair of threes from Dickson and Burdon opened the margin to eight points midway through the term and the Pioneers looked more settled.
However, with little more than a minute remaining de Wit sunk a regulation layup and the Eagles were up by one point.
Daly drained a three soon after and a pair of free throws to Barkley iced the game.
Six Pioneers reached double figures, with Barkley and Dickson joined by Burdon on 20, Daly 12, Hunter 12 and Rathjen 11.
Sunday’s game saw the Pioneers lead at every break, gradually extending the margin as the game went on.
They led by two points at the first break, then extended it to seven at half time.
The push continued after the long break, with the margin out to 15 heading to the final stanza, with the final 11-point win a good result considering the tough hit out Saturday night.
This time Daly top scored with 24 points, to join Rathjen, Barkley and Dickson as the only four double-figure scorers.
