A key pair of Salties is racing against the clock to make a return in time for this Saturday’s blockbuster NBL1 North double-header, while a star import will face his former side.
Darwin Salties’ women’s team will look to maintain their unbeaten NBL1 record in pink when they play hosts to MacKay in honour of Territory mum’s ahead of Mother’s Day at the Croc Pot on Saturday.
The Salties are coming off double-header wins against the Brisbane Capitals when they wore the special jersey to raise awareness for breast cancer last weekend.
In addition, the women will also be aiming for their seventh straight win to start the season against a 14th placed Meteorettes while the men will go for three victories in a row against a fourth placed Meteors.
After Round 6, the Saltie women’s side sit in second position and the men’s team is in sixth with four wins.
It will be a race against the clock for two key Saltie guards in Catherine MacGregor and Ruby Porter, who will need to pass fitness tests just hours before the encounter to prove their readiness for play.
MacGregor went down with an ankle injury in the seventh minute of last week’s game but could make an impressive recovery.
Porter could also rejoin the team after missing last week’s match with illness.
She said she was “getting better day by day” and her return was going to be a “game time decision” alongside Macgregor’s.
Both Salties have been important contributors this season with more than 20 minutes of game time in each of their matches, except for the games they were injured in.
American-born Salties guard Erin Bollmann is set to play the match with her mother watching from back home.
“I’m from America so my mum’s going to be back home but she usually wakes up at four in the morning to watch it live so it’s going to be great to know that she is watching, especially on Mother’s Day,” Bollmann said.
Speaking about the reasons for her side’s successful 6-0 start to the season, the 29-year-old put it down to having a common goal of “playing team basketball” and “having fun.”
“I know that personally I have a blast playing with these girls and we’re just having so much fun out there playing as one and playing together,” she said.
Bollmann has put together an outstanding campaign so far with the fourth most assists and blocks in the competition while also fighting through a partial tear in her wrist.
In the men’s clash, the Salties will take on MacKay who will be coming off a Friday night match against Cairns.
The clash will also have Saltie guard Jerron Jamerson facing his former club, which he said he looking forward to.
“It’s always fun whether we play MacKay here or going back to MacKay the following weekend for Round 2,” Jamerson said.
“They got quite a few new players but a couple of old faces.
“We try and approach it the same way as we do every game.
“We just do what we do, try and keep up pace, pressure on defence.
“We feel like if we do that, it will speak for itself.”
Originally published as Darwin Salties face MacKay in Mother’s Day honour NBL1 North clash