IT is a case of what could have been for the Mount Gambier Pioneers women, as they were beaten by the buzzer in the Basketball SA Premier League preliminary final in Adelaide on Saturday night.
In true Pioneers fashion, their thrilling clash against Forestville Eagles went down to the wire and had there been an extra second on the clock the outcome could have been a different story.
After a tough four quarters, the Pioneers found themselves down by two points as time wore thin in the final stanza.
A timeout was called by coach Matt Sutton with five seconds to go and a play was put in place.
With two seconds on the clock, Melissa Russell fired from inside the arc to tie the game, but the shot bounced off the rim.
However, Pachiyaanna Roberts backed her up and pulled in the rebound – her 15th for the night – and shot as the buzzer sounded.
All eyes were on the referees as the fate of the game rested in their hands, but it was deemed the buzzer had beaten Roberts’ attempt, handing Forestville a two-point victory and with it a place in the decider this weekend.
Pioneers coach Matt Sutton said the team was heartbroken with the result, but both teams deserved the win as much as the other.
“We are really disappointed at the moment,” he said.
“Forestville definitely deserved to go through and win that game, but we also felt if we had won, we would have deserved it too.”
While that one play will be branded on the minds of the team for some time, Sutton said there were several moments which could have made all the difference.
“The last play is the shot we will all think about, but there is so much that goes on throughout a game that could have changed it,” he said.
“I think we missed 12 free throws, which is a little bit uncharacteristic and a big thing to happen in a close game.”
Regardless, the Pioneers were well in the fight for the four quarters and despite trailing at every break, it was by no more than four points.
Heading into the final stanza it was a one-point ball game.
An inaccurate start to the term saw no score in the opening minute, before a Forestville free throw broke the drought.
From there the lead traded hands a couple of times, while the Pioneers drew level on several occasions, but in the end it all came down to the final seconds.
Captain and American import Amanda Frost made one of two free throws to tie the game with just over two minutes to go, before the Eagles replied to hold a two-point lead.
Roberts answered to level the scores again, but when Forestville’s Aimee Brett made a layup, that was the game.
Brett dealt plenty of damage on the night and her 10 first-quarter points set the pace for the game.
However, the Pioneers managed to keep her quiet after that, holding her to a respectable total of 17.
Chelsea Roberts was the other main scorer for the Eagles, finishing her night with 15 points and six rebounds.
The Pioneers also turned over some solid figures, with Roberts top scoring for the clash with her double-double of 21 points and 15 rebounds.
She was the focal point, but Sutton said it was a team effort which kept them in the contest.
“Mel (Russell) had a really good game and rebounded the ball well and I thought Amanda (Frost) was super solid given the amount of attention she was receiving from the other team – she worked her heart out.
“I was really proud of all the girls.”
Frost finished up with 18 points, while Russell pulled in seven rebounds at the defensive end to limit the Eagles’ second chances.
Young-gun Emily Winter also scored double figures with 11 points, while was equally impressive off the board to pull in 11 rebounds.
While it was not the fairy-tale finish the club had hoped for, which would have seen both men’s and women’s teams contest the grand finals this week, Sutton said his first season as coach was a “really rewarding” experience.
To create a team from nothing and pull it all together in the short weeks leading up to round one, is no small feat and a credit to the young
side.
Sutton said he has made some fond memories over the season and is proud of what the side accomplished in its debut season,
while the support of the Mount Gambier community has been “amazing”.
The Mount Gambier Pioneers’ future is currently shrouded in mystery, but Sutton said the coming weeks will be focused on the players’ futures, before an anxious wait to find out if the club will be accepted into the NBL1 for 2020.
“Over the next week or two I will have all the exit meetings with the girls and talk about the season with them,” he said.
“We will talk about individual development plans so they can keep working on their basketball.
“As for if we have a team, we just have to strap up and continue the fight to have a future.”
Attention now turns towards the Pioneers men, who will take on Forestville in their season decider this Saturday night.
