James Murphy
THE Icehouse is the place to be for basketball action tomorrow night as the Mount Gambier Pioneers host Diamond Valley Eagles in the NBL1 South season opener.
After a season which was ravaged by Covid, lockdowns and border restrictions, the Pioneers women are hopeful for a less interrupted 2022.
Coach Matt Sutton has put together a solid roster, with a mix of new and returning players.
It is hard to know exactly what to expect from the side at this stage, with limited time for incoming players to mingle with the group but Sutton believes they should be competitive.
“I think we are a bit of an unknown given the preparation time with the full group,” he said.
“At the same time we have some pieces there that can be pretty dangerous, so we will just have to refer back to the basics and play really hard.”
In what looks to be a tough women’s competition, Sutton said there will be no easy games.
However, he is confident his team will be in with a chance for victory every time they take to the court.
Heading into tomorrow’s match the Pioneers women will be eager to translate the form shown on the training court into a game situation.
“We were a little bit disappointing in Melbourne in the pre-season, but training has been really good,” Sutton said.
Imports Haliegh Reinoehl and Cassandra Brown add some international flare to the roster and Sutton expects good things from them both.
“We feel like at this stage we have two really good players who are really good people and fit into our community really well,” he said.
Sutton looks forward to the chance to open the season on their home, especially after the headaches of 2021.
“It has been so long between home games for us,” he said.
“We are just excited to play in front of the fans and play at home.”
The women’s match tips off at 6.30pm and will be followed by the men’s game.
