James Murphy
PERCHED on top of the Country Basketball League South West women’s ladder, Millicent Magic will look to retain that position with a win in Round 7 tomorrow.
The Magic hosts the Surfcoast Chargers at Peter Seebohm Stadium tomorrow night, before the Chargers venture across to Mount Gambier to play the second-placed Lakers on Sunday.
Only percentage separates Millicent and Mount Gambier on the leaderboard, with both undefeated after three games.
Millicent should enter the round confident, despite the absence of Emily Winter and Jesse Venn, who are unavailable to make the trip down from Adelaide this weekend.
As proven last week, the Magic’s development players can hold their own in the competition and coach Damien Venn remains confident in his team.
“Emily and Jesse aren’t available this weekend which leaves a bit of a hole,” he said.
“But it is a good opportunity for the kids, they will have to step up again.
“It is good for them, they get some more court time and we get to progress them a bit quicker.
“We will go in confident like we always do.”
Last week the Magic blitzed the Portland Coasters to the tune of 49 points, before backing it up with an eight-point win over Warrnambool Mermaids.
Quick starts set up both victories, which is something they will look to replicate tomorrow.
The Chargers stand as a bit of an unknown for Millicent heading into the round.
“I don’t know anything about them at all,” Venn said.
“I have had a look at their results and they have been up and down a bit.
“We will just treat it like another game.”
However, the return of Jasmin Howe should be welcomed, after she appeared in only one of the two Round 6 matches.
Her presence and leadership on the court is felt by the whole team, while the likes of sisters Alana Berkefeld and Georgia Winter will also be focal points.
The game is set for a 6pm tip off.
