IT was a tough double-header road trip for the Mount Gambier Pioneers women on the weekend as they suffered two losses in round 10 of the Basketball SA Premier League season.
The women faced the Southern Tigers on Saturday and went down by eight points in a 66-58 result.
They then backed up on Sunday against the Eastern Mavericks with a nine-point loss in a 77-68 result.
Saturday’s game saw American import player Pachis Roberts top score with 20 points – and 10 rebounds – after an impressive effort through the four quarters.
Roberts started with the first basket of the night, then finished with the last score for the Pioneers, which in effect drew the scores level at the time.
Her consistent first term – along with captain and fellow American Amanda Frost – ensured the visitors were in the game, with just one point the difference at the first break.
The Pioneers trailed at that stage, but put on an impressive second term to turn the game around and lead by three at the long break.
The game continued to-and-fro in the third term, with a big three from Maddy Wormald keeping the Pioneers within striking distance.
As the clock wound down Frost closed the margin to one point and the game was set for an exciting final term.
Olivia Wormald joined in on the act early in the final stanza, with Roberts adding a regulation layup to take the lead mid-way through the term.
With four-and-a-half minutes to play Roberts put up a pair of successful free throws to tie the game up, but from there the Tigers controlled the contest and ran out victors.
Frost joined Roberts in double figures with 19 points.
It was a big opening term by the Mavericks which set up their victory over the Pioneers Sunday afternoon.
The 28-19 term was the difference in the end, with the remainder of the contest a dour affair.
While Roberts was kept quiet due to foul trouble, Olivia Wormald stepped up to the plate and joined Frost as the only two Pioneers to reach double figures.
Wormald and Frost kept the scoreboard ticking over in the opening term, but found the going hard in a tough, physical game.
Emily Winter joined Wormald and Frost in the second term on the scoreboard and when Wormald drained a three mid-way through the quarter the margin was down to five points.
A triple soon after to Frost had the gap back to four points and the game was on in earnest.
A late basket to the Mavericks saw the Pioneers trail by six at the long break.
The Pioneers struggled in the third term, with the home side able to stretch the margin to 17 points, leaving plenty of work for the visitors in the final stanza.
The girls rose to the occasion, with the margin back to 10 points with two-and-a-half minutes to play.
However the Mavericks dug deep and managed to secure the victory on their home court.
This time Frost led the way with 28 points from a huge 40 minutes on the floor, while Olivia Wormald was the only other Pioneer to reach double figures with 11.
The results see the Pioneers slip down to seventh on the ladder, with five wins and four losses from their nine games, while several other sides above them have played 10 or 11 games.
Coach Matt Sutton said it was a disappointing weekend, with two games which the side let slip away.
“We do feel a bit disappointed, more of ourselves with the way we played,” he said.
“We played two really good teams which played us tough and well.
“We did not really respond to some situations like we should have.”
Sutton said that came down to preparation for the weekend, having to back up from last week’s double-header.
“Our preparation probably was not as good going into those games with the shorter week to try to recover,” he said.
“I think in hind sight we just did not prepare as well and that showed with the way we played.
“It is the first time I have felt disappointed with our preparation and disappointed with the way we handled some things on the court, which is always going to happen.”
The Pioneers will now prepare for a rematch with the Mavericks Saturday night at the Icehouse.
