By Lachlan Onions
THE Mount Gambier Pioneers men’s team suffered a three-point loss in Saturday’s NBL1 South clash with the North West Tasmania Thunder at the Icehouse.
The Pioneers started strongly and stretched out to a 19-14 lead after six minutes.
However, the Thunder fought back and took a 30-27 lead into the first break.
After the first quarter, the Pioneers did not lead for the rest of the game.
The second term was an even contest to begin with but North West Tasmania soon found momentum and extended its lead to 14 points with four minutes left in the term.
Mount Gambier faced an uphill battle from there and trailed by 10 points at half time.
The Pioneers struggled to get back in the game and trailed by 13 with less than five minutes left in the third quarter.
However, a floater from Michael Harris sparked a late surge in momentum as Mount Gambier tied the game 30 seconds before the last break.
Kye Savage hit two free throws to end the quarter which gave the visitors a narrow two-point lead with 10 minutes to play.
After consecutive stops on the defensive end to begin the final term, the Pioneers levelled the game one again with a layup from Jordan Rawls.
However, North West Tasmania punished Mount Gambier for its turnovers and soon held an eight point lead with just over three minutes to play.
With their backs to the wall, the Pioneers refused to die and fought back to keep the game alive.
The clash was set up for a nail-biting finale when Harris scored a free throw and then hit a three-pointer, which reduced the margin to just four points with less than two minutes to play.
However, a layup from Matt Kenyon off the back of a steal from Sean Macdonald, meant Mount Gambier faced an uphill battle for the final minute of play.
Rawls hit back with a layup of his own but it was still a two-possession game with just 45 seconds on the clock.
The Thunder’s Joe Chilcott then missed a three-pointer, which the Pioneers capitalised on through Rawls who scored a dunk with 12 seconds on the clock, which reduced the margin to just two points and gave his side a glimmer of hope in the dying moments.
Kenyon was only able to convert one of his two free throws at the other end and the Pioneers had one last possession to try and hit a three-pointer to send the game into overtime.
However, Mount Gambier was unable to convert the late opportunity and North West Tasmania held on for the win.
Harris was near unstoppable for the Pioneers as he finished the game with 37 points, which included nine three-pointers from just 15 attempts.
He also picked up five rebounds, made two assists and two steals and a strong performance all-round.
Nick Marshall, Tom Kubank and Rawls all scored more than 10 points and Kubank recorded a double-double with 12 rebounds as well.
The Pioneers remain in second on the ladder but have three teams all level on wins with them as the competition enters its final three weeks.
Mount Gambier faces an unenviable double-header this weekend when it takes on Bendigo on Saturday, before Geelong on Sunday.
Bendigo has been one of the in-form sides in the competition and is third on the ladder, while Geelong is seventh and claimed a one-point win at the Icehouse in May.
