Picture: TREVOR JACKSON
THE Mount Gambier Pioneers have entered their first-ever team in the SA Junior Basketball Championships, which are held in Adelaide this weekend.
The Under 18 girls side comprises mostly of current senior Pioneers players and will be coached by women’s captain and American import Amanda Frost.
She will be eager to see the girls – many of them teammates – return from the event with some success, as they go up against the best juniors in the state.
“It will be fun to coach the girls and see them play against girls in their own age group,” Frost said.
“It is hard to predict where our girls sit in terms of the Adelaide competition, but we know they will give it their all and that’s all we can ask.”
With a bye for the senior Pioneers in the Basketball SA Premier League this week, the state championship provides the perfect chance to put some valuable game time under the belts of the young Pioneers.
“For our girls to get the opportunity to play extended minutes running our structure will be great for them to experience,” Pioneers women’s head coach Matt Sutton said.
“You train to play, so these girls getting the chance to play extended and significant minutes this weekend will be great.”
Of the girls in the team, Emily Dawe has had the most minutes on court for the senior Pioneers this season, while Keryl Ousey and Sarah Nulty have also had their share of playing time.
Nulty commented on her excitement for this weekend’s event.
“It will be great to test ourselves against the competition in Adelaide,” she said.
“Being part of the Pioneers women’s team has been great and to be part of this opportunity as well is pretty cool.”
The team heads off today, with their first game against South Adelaide Panthers tonight at 8.45pm.
They then play three games on Saturday, before finals are contested on Sunday.
Success at the state championships can lead to invitations to the Classics held in Melbourne over June.
TEAM LIST
Sarah Nulty, Emily Dawe, Claire Hunter, Keryl Ousey, Nikeisha Facey, Emmason Ilsley, Gerogia Winter, Maddi Haggett.
