Perfect weekend for Pioneers

THE Pioneers achieved a perfect road double with comprehensive victories for both the men’s and women’s teams in Ballarat and Bendigo over the weekend.

For the OneFortyOne Pioneers Women it was a much needed shot in the arm to get their season back on track and keep their finals hopes alive, while for the Castec Rural Supplies Pioneers Men consolidated their standing at the pointy end of the NBL1 South ladder.

The women did not put a foot wrong in the 100-56 Saturday night win over Ballarat, given the entered the clash with a 3-7 record and could ill afford too many more losses if they covet a finals berth.

The Miners were coming off tree consecutive losses and were also desperate to defend their home court but the visitors were quick to gain ascendancy, going into the first break with a 34-15 victory on the back of some stunning three point shooting, hitting seven from 10 in a dominant opening quarter.

The girls remained in control with another 20 points to 14 in the second frame on the way to leading 54-27 by the half-time break and there was no way the Pioneers were going to take their foot off the pedal as they powered to a 44 point win.

The Pioneers finished up shooting 51 per cent from the floor and knocking down 14 from 29 from three-point range while the Miners managed just 31 per cent shooting and going a disappointing 4 from 32 from beyond the arc.

Isa Brancatisano led the way delivering 18 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and two steals, while Jayda Jansen top-scored with 19 points and seven assists on three from four three-point shooting with Haliegh Reinoehl adding 17 points and 14 rebounds, and local talent Keryl Ousey had a night to remember with 18 points, including four from six from three-point territory.

The girls proved Saturday night was no fluke with another comprehensive victory on Sunday afternoon, this time over the Bendigo Braves, 79-49.

The Braves also entered the game on the back of a win, albeit a narrow two point victory, but again the Pioneers started strongly and held a 25-17 lead at the first break, dropping 16 unanswered points to secure the early advantage.

They extended that lead to 12 at the main break and after a strong third quarter it was 27 as they turned for home, holding the Braves to only six points.

Reinoehl backed up her Saturday performance with another strong showing, putting up 31 points, 16 rebounds and two assists on 12/19 shooting from the floor and 6/6 at the foul line with Chloe Hildebrand delivering 13 points, three assists, three steals and two rebounds.

Brancatisano also had nine points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals, Jansen eight points, two boards, two assists and two steals, and Edie Easterby six points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals.

The men mirrored the girls performance in Ballarat on Saturday night with a comprehensive 47 point drubbing of the Miners.

Dylan Marshall hit six threes for 25 points as the boys consolidated a top two position with the thumping 116-69 road win which, as it was with the girls, set up by an opening quarter blitz.

The Pioneers piled on 42 points on the back of shooting 14/18 from the field which including six from eight from behind the three-point line, and eight from nine at the free-throw line., holding the home team to just 11 points.

Fifty-eight points was the game high lead before the Pioneers settled for a 47 point margin.

Marshall was well supported by Austin Shelley, who added 19 points on 4/5 three-point shooting, Joe Palmer 17 points, seven assists and five rebounds, Akech Aliir 16 points, 13 boards, three steals and two blocks, Kaden Archie 16 points, three rebounds and three assists, and Alex Mudronja 13 points, four assists and three boards.

The Pioneers were equally comprehensive on Sunday when they took care of the Braves, 100-70.

The visitors led by eight at the first break, 27 at the half and then cruised to a 30 point final whistle margin.

Aliir delivered 22 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots on 9/13 shooting as he led the Pioneers to a 9-3 season record.

Archie added 22 points, seven rebounds, five steals and two blocks on 10/16 shooting, Palmer 13 points, four boards and four assists, and Mudronja 13 points, five rebounds and two assists.

Shelley put up 14 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals on 3/5 three-point shooting with Marshall contributing 10 points and three assists.

RESULTS

WOMEN:Mount Gambier Pioneers 100 (Jansen 19, Brancatisano 18, Ousey 18) d Ballarat Miners 56 (Wehrung 15, Bird 13, Cracknell 8); Mount Gambier Pioneers 79 (Reinoehl 31, Hildebrand 13, MacGregor 12) d Bendigo Braves 49 (McLean 19, Harvey 7, Smith 6, Porchia 6, Blanch 6)

MEN:Mount Gambier Pioneers 116 (Marshall 25, Shelley 19, Palmer 17) d Ballarat Miners 69 (Majok 17, Rosendale 14, Fiegert 9); Mount Gambier Pioneers 100 (Aliir 22, Archie 22, Shelley 14) d Bendigo Braves 70 (Matthews 22, Johnson 21, Diing 12)