By Lachlan Onions
BASKETBALL will return to Wulanda on Friday night with the Mount Gambier Pioneers hosting the Waverley Falcons in the NBL1 Pink Round with action tipping off at 8pm.
NBL1 clubs across all competitions will be showing their support for Australians impacted by breast cancer for the round which coincides with the Mother’s Day weekend.
The Pioneers men’s team started the 2023 NBL1 South campaign in style with six straight wins but lost their last two games in an away double-header last weekend.
Their opponents have had less success this campaign and have won just two games from seven this year.
The Falcons will need to be at their best as the Pioneers have dangerous players in each part of the court.
Mount Gambier boats strong depth in both the front and back court which has been on display on a regular basis this season.
It has come as no surprise that Nick Marshall has once again led the way for the Pioneers as their marquee player this year after his barnstorming 2022 season.
His prowess was on full display last weekend as he racked up 37 points in Mount Gambier’s heart-breaking one-point loss to Geelong.
Marshall is third in the conference for points per game with an impressive 24.13.
Another interesting player that Pioneers faithful should keep an eye on is Austin Shelley.
The 21-year-old started the season as the back-up point guard for Kane de Wit but with injuries, has made his way into the starting line-up over the last three rounds.
Shelley scored 27 points against the Supercats last weekend and also scored 17 last time at Wulanda.
The Pioneers will also look to Julian Pesava to bring the muscle in the paint as well as have have an impact from the wing and in the corner.
Pesava has averaged 12.63 points per game in his first season with Mount Gambier and the best is still yet to come from him.
The 27-year-old averages over 17 points per game in his NBL1 career and with recent changes to the squad, he could be set to play a greater role moving forward.
Subject to registration, the Pioneers will welcome new injury-replacement signing Leonard Harper-Baker to the side to cover for star import Jacob Lampkin.
With the Falcons having an impressive front-court, his addition will be vital for Mount Gambier both this week and in weeks to come.
As for the Falcons, the 200cm-tall Dillon Stith will be a threat in the paint.
He has scored 18.29 points per game and posted 32 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in his side’s narrow win over North West Tasmania last weekend.
Tristan Forsyth has been another solid contributor for Waverley with 13.14 and will test the size of Mount Gambier.