Trevor Jackson
THE Country Basketball League has reached the business end, with the grand final to be played Saturday night at Warrnambool.
The Mount Gambier Lakers men will suit up against Ararat Redbacks, with a game fitting of a grand final expected. Both sides have been at the pointy end of the ladder all season, with 13 wins and three losses each.
Head-to-head, the ledger stands at one game each for the minor rounds, with the Lakers victorious back in Round 7 by just four points, while the Redbacks returned serve in Round 10 with a big 26-point win.
In round seven at the Icehouse, the Lakers boasted a near-full squad, but still found it tough to shake the shackles of the Redbacks.
Simon Berkefeld was again in good touch, finishing the game with 30 points.
For the Redbacks it was Zac Dunmore who did the damage, with a game-high 37-point haul, while Joshua Fiegert finished with 21.
In contrast, when the Lakers headed over to Ararat, they took just five players and struggled down the stretch after a tough contest.
As would be expected, four of those five players recorded double-figure scores, but again it was Dunmore who was the form player.
He finished with a game-high 32 points, while Fiegert was again in good touch with 26.
Lakers playing coach Kane deWit said he expected a tough hitout Saturday night and mentioned Dunmore as one of the most dangerous players in the quest for championship honours.
Against Millicent in the semi-final, Dunmore hit 26 points, Ethan Fiegert 24 and Joshua Fiegert 17.
“They are obviously quite a good team and have a lot of talent,” he said. Zac Dunmore will be one to focus on, but we also have to focus on what we can do.
“We split the season series against them so hopefully we can get the one that matters.”
The problem for the Redbacks could be their reliance on just a couple of main players, while the Lakers have shown plenty of versatility in their squad, sharing the ball around to see many players in double figures on any given night.
Like most other sides in the competition, the Lakers have struggled with numbers at various times during the season, such as the Round 10 clash with the Redbacks.
Injuries and other commitments took their toll but the Lakers were still able to perform at their best when it was required.
The semi-final clash last weekend against Horsham Hornets was typical of that.
The Lakers had not beaten the Hornets this season, but made easy work of the semi-final to run out convincing 27-point victors.
That was with a near-full roster, which could possibly improve further this weekend.
Kyle Tipene is a real possibility to take the floor, which would add plenty of energy and skill up and down the floor and around the basket.
Miguel Duque is expected back after a new addition to his family was welcomed.
Berkefeld will be an important piece of the puzzle. If he can find space and make a few plays it will certainly lift the Lakers.
Youngsters Toby deWit, Ben Young and Nelson Forbes will play key roles around the hoop, while Braiden Ousey will need to work overtime under the basket to pull down any rebound opportunities to feed his running players.
Of course Kane deWit will need to draw on all his experience in both CBL and NBL1 with the Pioneers to keep his players focused on the job at hand.
Several other players will take their place on the bench and be ready to jump into action when a chance arises.
It is tough to pick a favourite, with both sides up to the challenge and whoever executes better on the night will claim the honours by a slim margin.
The game will tip off at 8pm, following the women’s clash between Mount Gambier and Millicent, which begins and 5:15pm.
