THERE will be action aplenty at the Peter Seebohm Stadium in Millicent this weekend, when the Millicent Basketball Association hosts the Mount Gambier Pioneers and the Woodville Warriors men and women in a pre-season clash.
Milicent will have some home-grown talent on display in the women’s competition, with Pioneers captain Jasmin Howe, now in her third season with the team, sure to be hard to contain from the three-point line.
Likewise, Emily Winter, now one of Woodville’s key players, will look to continue her impressive form from last season.
It will also be a good opportunity for Georgia Winter, who signed up this season with the Pioneers, to provide another strong scoring option.
Jesse Venn will suit up for Woodville and may see a few minutes on the paint to provide some vital experience at the next level.
All of those women played all their junior basketball with Millicent and are sure to receive a warm reception from the Millicent supporters.
Pioneers women’s coach Matt Sutton would be pleased with the pre-season hit out against Forestville a month ago where the women recorded a win.
With the likes of Hannah Young, Sherrie Calleia, Cassandra Brown and Haliegh Reinoehl to come in, they will be a tough prospect for any side in the upcoming NBL1 South competition.
Shekera Reilly and Howe bring invaluable WNBL experience but Woodville will be no walkover, under the tutelage of new head coach Matt Atkins.
The men’s game is set to be a blockbuster.
The two sides played in Millicent last year and walked away with one win a-piece.
The Pioneers had a stellar season in 2021, although the interruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic saw the season cut short.
Crowd favourite Erik “Eze” Burton is back, along with the star-studded line up, including Tom Daly, Kane Dewit, Tom Kurbank and Nick Marshall, who has been with the Adelaide 36ers this NBL season.
Michael Harris is an exciting recruit from Forrestville, a local Mount Gambier boy returning home.
Woodville will bring a competitive side, including James Boonstoppel, one of the best three-point shooters in the league, Devon McGee who will anchor the defence and import Jawan Stepney who comes from the USA College basketball system in Central Washington.
Full canteen and bar facilities are on offer over what should be an exciting couple of nights of basketball.
Games take place on Friday and Saturday nights, with the women to tip off at 6.30pm both nights, followed by the men at 8.15pm.
Admission for adults is $5, children $2 and family tickets are $10.
