Successful road trip the aim for Pioneers

A Brad Rathjen Crop Dsc 993020190615  TBW Newsgroup
IN FORM: Brad Rathjen is just one Pioneer who has been in good form this season, with a big double-header weekend ahead. Picture: TREVOR JACKSON

A Brad Rathjen Crop Dsc 993020190615  TBW Newsgroup
IN FORM: Brad Rathjen is just one Pioneer who has been in good form this season, with a big double-header weekend ahead.
Picture: TREVOR JACKSON

THE Mount Gambier Pioneers hit the road this weekend for a double-header in round 16 of the Basketball SA Premier League season.

The Pioneers will face the West Adelaide Bearcats on Saturday night, then back up against the South Adelaide Panthers Sunday.

For the men the trip would be expected to result in two more wins, considering the form of the Mount Gambier side in recent rounds.

The Pioneers have lost just three games for the season, with wins over both the Bearcats and the Panthers last time they faced off.

When the Bearcats visited the Icehouse in round 12 they were sent home with a 24-point defeat.

Four Pioneers reached double figures, with American import Kentrell Barkley having a night out.

His figures included 34 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists.

Last week against the Central Districts Lions he managed 16 points, 18 rebounds and six assists to keep his season rolling.

Back in round 12 fellow American DayJar Dickson was somewhat quiet, but that has not been the case since.

Against the Bearcats he was in foul trouble, but the following game against the Norwood Flames he contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds, while in the following two games against the Lions he managed 18 and five, then 18 and 11.

Tom Daly has been in his usual impressive form and last time against the Bearcats finished with 22 points and 11 assists.

Brian Jefferson had a big 40-point game that night for the visitors, but it was not enough to give them the win.

Back in round six the Panthers made the trip down to Mount Gambier and were also sent back to Adelaide with their tails between their legs.

The 37-point win took the Pioneers well over the 100-point mark, which has been a consistent target this season.

In fact, the Pioneers have passed that milestone 12 times this season, with their highest total off 133 points last week resulting in a 56-point thrashing of the Lions and showed a real intent to stamp their authority on the competition.

That put the league on notice as the season begins to wind down.

Recent rounds have seen a full roster on the floor after previous injuries to both Sam Daly and Erik Burdon.

Burdon in particular returned in style and was impressive last week with 21 points, shooting at 55pc from outside the three-point arc.

He drained six of 11 three-point attempts and appears in ominous form at the right time of the season.

With the vagaries of the Premier League ladder, the Pioneers sit in second place, with 12 wins and three losses.

The North Adelaide Rockets top the list, but have played 16 games, for 12 wins and four losses.

As a result they sit on 40 points, while the Pioneers trail with 39.

The Rockets are not set to play until June 29, so that anomaly should sort itself out this weekend.