Picture: TREVOR JACKSON
IT will be a tough double-header road trip for the Mount Gambier Pioneers men this weekend for rounds 13 and 14 of the Basketball SA Premier League season.
The Pioneers head to Adelaide to face the second-placed Norwood Flames tomorrow night, before backing up against the sixth-placed Central Districts Lions on Sunday.
The good thing for the Pioneers is they again have a full roster and come off a comfortable 21-point victory over the West Adelaide Bearcats just last week.
However, the Flames have the wood over the Pioneers this season, with a 10-point win at the Icehouse back in round five.
There was plenty of heat in that contest, as Sam Daly was unceremoniously fouled out of the game.
By that stage he had amassed nine points and was well on the way to joining four other Pioneers in double figures.
American import Kentrell Barkley lit up the score sheets with 40 points, along with an impressive 16 rebounds.
However, the Flames controlled the game in the fourth term to claim the win.
Much of that came on the back of a 42-point game from James Legan, who averages over 20 points per game.
But Barkley boasts double-double average figures, with close to 25 points and a touch over 15 rebounds per game.
The Pioneers will certainly want to atone for that round-five result and should be up to the challenge.
Sunday’s game should provide an easier challenge – at least on paper – as the Lions have won just six games from their 12 outings.
The Pioneers boast a 9/3 win/loss ratio, sit in fourth place on the ladder and are sure to start favourites.
The two sides have not faced off this season and will again meet after the break for the June long weekend.
The Lions have suffered some big losses this season, but did defeat the Flames in round 11.
In that game Jordan Riewer top scored for the victors with 29 points, while D’Vaughn Jones contributed 20 and Lual Diing 16.
All three have double-figure averages, which provides plenty of scoring power for the Lions and looms as a danger game for the Pioneers.
Both sides play tomorrow night so neither has the advantage of fresher legs.
Daly has recently returned after injury and was quiet last week against the Bearcats.
Erik Burdon was also back from injury and was on target from outside the three-point arc, with five triples from eight attempts.
If those two remain unscathed and the remainder of the roster is fit, the Pioneers should return home with two wins and a strong position on the ladder.
Tomorrow’s game tips off at 8.15pm, with Sunday’s clash set down for 3.15pm.
