Mixed results for Pioneers finals campaign

The OneFortyOne Mount Gambier Pioneers women recovered from a shaky second half to the NBL1 South season to secure an impressive eight point qualifying final victory, earning them a week off and a home court preliminary final.

The Pioneers got the better of top ranked Knox, on the Raiders home court, with the victory built on a dominant opening half.

Sam Fatkin hit six three-pointers and the girls opened up a 17-point first half lead on the road to set up the 86-78 qualifying final win over the Knox Raiders.

The Raiders had earned the right to host the match up at Knox Basketball Stadium on the back of finishing the regular season in top spot on a 12-game winning streak at 20-2.

But despite entering the clash with a 14-8 record, the Pioneers paid no heed to the regular season record.

The Pioneers opened up a 10-point lead in the opening period before then completing an 11-0 scoring run in the second term on the way to building a 17-point advantage.

The visitors were still leading 51-38 at the half-time break and even though the Raiders did keep fighting hard to mount a fightback, Mount Gambier held firm for the eventual eight-point victory.

The Pioneers now await either the Dandenong Rangers or Waverley Falcons in the Wulanda preliminary final.

Fatkin (pictured top left) was a key factor in the win for the Pioneers with 27 points, five rebounds and three assists while knocking down 6/9 from behind the three-point arc.

Isa Brancatisano added 16 points, seven assists and four rebounds on 4/8 shooting from deep while Sherrie Calleia (pictured bottom left) contributed 13 points, seven assists, five boards, two steals and two blocks, and Haliegh Reinoehl 12 points, five rebounds, three steals, two blocks and two assists.

Things didn’t go as smoothly for the Castec Rural Supplies Mount Gambier Pioneers men, stymied by the standout performance from Melbourne United star Shea Ili (pictured bottom right).

The Sandringham Sabres arrived at the Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre with a star studded line-up and earned a preliminary final berth with a 75-59 victory.

Ili was well supported by fellow Melbourne United squad member Tanner Krebs along with New Zealand Breaker Dane Pineau, Tom Koppens, Campbell Blogg and even former Boomer Dave Barlow, and they put the clamps right on the Pioneers.

As the final scoreline suggests, it was a defensive grind for most of the evening and by the end of the first quarter the Sabres were leading 17-13 and they were able to turn that into a 35-30 advantage by half time.

Sandringham then continued to pull away in the second half with 22 points to 18 in the third period, and 18 to 11 in the fourth on the way to the 16-point victory.

It was a standout defensive performance from the Sabres with Ili leading the way as the reigning Best Defensive Player in the NBL. Sandringham restricted Mount Gambier to the 59 points on 33 per cent shooting from the field and 20 turnovers.

The Pioneers remain at home again this weekend to the dangerous Eltham Wildcats next with a chance to book in a spot in a preliminary final against the Frankston Blues.

Akech Aliir (pictured above) has been in blistering form for the Pioneers and he had another 19 points and nine rebounds with Dylan Marshall adding nine points and six boards, Nick Marshall eight points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals, and Christian Peevy eight points and five boards.

RESULTS

Mount Gambier Pioneers 86 (Fatkin 27, Brancatisano 16, Calleia 13) d Knox Raiders 78 (Bradley 20, Froling 15, Bell 14); Sandringham Sabres 75 (Ili 22, Krebs 12, Blogg 12) d Mount Gambier Pioneers 59 (Aliir 19, D Marshall 9, N Marshall 8, Peevy 8)