Trevor Jackson
THE strength of the Mount Gambier Pioneers women was put to the test on the weekend as the side faced a double-header road trip to open the 2023 NBL1 South season.
Despite the tough challenge, which included a couple of names sitting out of the opening clash with the Sandringham Sabres, the Pioneers returned home with two wins.
Game one certainly put the side on notice there would not be an easy win this season, as the Sabres took the game right up to the Pioneers on Saturday night.
An even opening term set the scene for an arm wrestle, while the Pioneers had the better of the second quarter.
The Sabres returned serve in the third term, leading at the final break by five points, before the Pioneers came from behind and stole the win, after trailing by as much as 10 points halfway through the last quarter.
They hit the lead with three-and-a-half minutes on the clock and held on from there for a 78-74 win.
As it was with the men, a renewed roster stood tall to lead the way, with Miela Goodchild topping the scoresheets with 26 points and 12 rebounds, an impressive double-double in the first official game with the club.
Isabella Brancatisano was next with 20 points, while the returning Haliegh Reinohl also recorded a double-double, with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
The Pioneers then faced the Nunawading Spectres on Sunday, with a more-comfortable 87-69 victory.
In an even contest, it took until the final stanza before the Pioneers could break away from a determined Spectres roster, with a 23-14 final quarter doing the damage.
Again it was Goodchild who lit up the score sheets with her second double-double of the weekend.
She recorded 29 points and 13 rebounds in another impressive display.
Captain Cassandra Brown chipped in with 16 points, as did the returning Sherrie Calleia, who did not line up for Saturday’s contest.
She was soon back in the swing of it and was joined by Brancatisano on 12 points and Reinoehl with 10.
it completed a perfect start to the season for both the men and women, with the next game pencilled in for the Wulanda Recreation Centre a week after Easter.
