Pioneers women well prepared for tough double-header on the road

Amanda Frost Dsc 1182  TBW Newsgroup
TOP FORM: Pioneers women's captain Amanda Frost has had a stellar year with the side so far and comes off a player-of-the-round performance as she leads her young team on a double-header road trip this weekend. Picture: TREVOR JACKSON

Amanda Frost Dsc 1182  TBW Newsgroup
TOP FORM: Pioneers women’s captain Amanda Frost has had a stellar year with the side so far and comes off a player-of-the-round performance as she leads her young team on a double-header road trip this weekend.
Picture: TREVOR JACKSON

A TOUGH double-header road trip looms large for the young Mount Gambier Pioneers women’s side in rounds 13 and 14 of the Basketball SA Premier Legaue season this weekend.

Most of the drama will surround tomorrow night’s clash with the sixth-placed Norwood Flames, before the Pioneers take on the win-less Central Districts Lions on Sunday.

The Flames are one spot below the Pioneers on the ladder, both with seven wins from 12 games.

But Norwood will want to atone for their round-five clash at the Icehouse where the Pioneers were victorious by four points.

The entertaining game saw little in the contest from the tip off to the final siren.

The Pioneers had double-figure returns from five players – Amanda Frost 23 points, Pachis Roberts 15, then Olivia Wormald, Emily Winter and Melissa Russell all with 10.

Frost has been in impressive form, coming off a triple-double last week against the West Adelaide Bearcats where she finished the night with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists.

For her efforts Frost received the player of the week honours from the league.

Frost is currently second in average points with 23.25 per game and leads the average assists with 5.5.

She has certainly led the team by example as captain and has had a huge impact on the young side.

But it will take a big effort for the Pioneers to claim the win on the road, with the Flames sure to be fired up on their home court.

In that last clash Tess Bruffy was joined by three other Flames players in double figures.

She managed 20 points and 11 rebounds in a dangerous game.

Shannon Webber and Cara Annetts both finished with 16, while Jordyn Freer managed 10.

While Lyn’Quoia North only finished with eight points, she did pull down 13 rebounds and will be one to watch out for.

From there it is hard to mount a case for the Lions over the Pioneers.

They have simply struggled this season and will again find the going tough.

Should the Pioneers win tomorrow night, they will most certainly return home with two victories.

Tomorrow’s game tips off at 6.30pm, with Sunday’s clash set down for 1.30pm.