IT is crunch time for the Mount Gambier Pioneers tomorrow night, when the men take to Adelaide Arena for the Basketball SA Premier League grand final against Forestville Eagles.
The season decider will be the fourth time the Pioneers have met the Eagles this season and all evidence suggests it will be another hard-fought battle.
Both teams are overflowing with talent and spectators are sure to be in for a treat.
Pioneers coach Richard Hill said it will be “a toss of the coin” to who will emerge as premiers and he holds their opponent in high regards.
“It is certainly hard to measure,” he said.
“I don’t think there is anything between either team, we are both very talented.
“We have beaten them the last two times on our home court, but this time we don’t get to play in front of our home crowd.”
Forestville comes off the back of a tight preliminary final win over Norwood Flames last week, while the Pioneers enjoyed a week off.
However, with several breaks over the last month due to byes and finishing top of the ladder, Hill said it has not been the ideal scenario.
“Honestly we would have preferred to have played a lot more basketball than what we have in the last month or so,” he said.
“We have just had to try and replicate some of that (game) stuff in training and we feel like we have done as good a job as we can.
“We just have to see how it all shapes up on the night.”
Two big threats to the Pioneers loom large in the form of Majok Deng and Greg Mays, who both carry impressive season form into the decider, while also played big roles in last week’s win over the Flames.
“It is very difficult to combat them – they are very good players,” Hill said.
“We just need to make it as tough as we can for them.
“Majok is in outstanding form, but we will be doing whatever we can to slow them both up that’s for sure.”
However, that is not to say there is a shortage of firepower in the Pioneers’ ranks.
American import Kentrell Barkley has been a focal point all year at both ends of the court and he will look to make an impact again tomorrow.
He has averaged almost 25 points a game for the season, while he also leads the league rebounds with an impressive average of 15 a game.
Captain Tom Daly has been in consistent form as well and averages 22.9 points a game.
He is a team player and leads the Pioneers in assists, with an average of five per match.
Add into the mix Brad Rathjen, import DayJar Dickson, Sam Daly and Erik Burdon and Mount Gambier has a well-rounded team to say the least.
“We have six high-level players, plus Lachie Hunter who is doing a really good job,” Hill said.
“But they have two NBL players, two imports, Kane deWit (former Pioneer), plus another NBL development squad guy – so they are pretty decent as well.
“It all just depends who puts the ball in the basket better than the other team – that is what it is going to boil down to.”
Hill said he hopes the Pioneers’ pace will be able to wear down Forestville in the later stages of the game as it has in their past encounters, but it will all come down to who turns up on the night.
While it would be great to have the women competing for the championship alongside the men, there is no doubt to say the Pioneers have had a successful season – regardless of tomorrow night’s result.
The club has been put through its paces over the last 12 months and still remains in the crossfires, with the announcement of whether it will be accepted into the NBL1 for 2020 expected in the early weeks of next month.
Hill said that is not a discussion point for the group and attention is solely on tomorrow’s game.
However, he said looking back at the year that has been, the community support has been outstanding.
“The club has done tremendously well, not just this year, but over a long period of time,” he said.
“The crowds and the support this year is on the back of what the club has been able to build for a number of years.
“Because of the emotional involvement of all the things that went against us, the local community have rallied behind us.
“That is somewhat humbling for everyone at the club.”
With tomorrow’s men’s grand final to tip off at 8.15pm, come Sunday there is one factor which is assured.
“We will either be unbelievably excited, or horribly disappointed,” Hill said.
