Women open season in style

THE OneFortyOne Pioneers Women started the season with a perfect 2-0 road trip, taking care of both the Ringwood Hawks and Melbourne Tigers.

The girls took on Ringwood on Saturday and the 98-76 victory was the perfect way to start the NBL1 South season.

The Pioneers took control of the match in the second term with 36 points to 22 and then held Ringwood to just six points in the third quarter on the way to the eventual 22-point triumph.

The depth of the Pioneers was on show in the win with Grace Champion producing 21 points and four rebounds with Ti’lan Boler putting up 20 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks with 6/8 three-point shooting.

Carla Pitman also had 18 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and two steals, Lara Edmanson 17 points, seven boards and three steals, and Kelsey Rees 16 points and six rebounds.

Sunday’s clash with the Tigers also ended in a comfortable scoreline, taking the win 95-77.

A confident and clinical opening quarter set up the victory with the Pioneers racing to a 16 point quarter time lead and they did not take their foot off the gas in the second to go into the main break 62-28.

They went a long way to making sure of that with 27 points to 11 in the first quarter and then another 35 to 17 in the second term to go into the half-time break on top 62-28.

Melbourne might have won the second half 49-33 but still the Pioneers cruised to the 18-point win with Edmandson delivering 23 points and 13 rebounds on 10/14 shooting.

Boler added 21 points, two rebounds and two steals, Rees 16 points, 11 boards and eight assists, Pitman 15 points, six assists and five rebounds, and Grace Champion 12 points and six boards on 3/5 three-point shooting.

The weekend brought mixed results for the Castec Rural Supplies Mount Gambier Pioneers Men.

On Saturday night they won a nailbiter over Ringwood by three points before falling to the Tigers on Sunday afternoon with a reduced squad.

The Pioneers started well to be leading 30-24 by quarter-time and still 64-53 by half time before that advantage got out to as much as 16 points in the third term.

Ringwood did throw everything at a comeback and got back as close to a point late in the piece, but the boys held firm for the eventual three-point victory away from home.

Collin Moore delivered 25 points, five rebounds, five steals, four assists and three blocks in the win for the Pioneers with Ngor Manyang adding 18 points on 4/9 three-point shooting.

Alex Mudronja delivered 16 points and four rebounds with Micale Mee adding 12 points, three boards and two steals, Elijah Saifaleupolu 11 points and two rebounds, and Scott Telfer 10 points, seven boards and four assists.

It was a 77-98 loss to Melbourne on Sunday afternoon, though, as the Tigers unveiled new faces for the season and George Blagojevic and Josh Sykes both starred.

The Pioneers did only have the seven players available after their Saturday night win and the Tigers were able to take advantage including starting the third quarter on a 13-1 run, and then a 15-5 streak to start the fourth on the way to the eventual 21-point victory.

Tiger recruit Blagojevic has made the move to the Tigers from Geelong United for 2026 and started off with a bang on Sunday with 29 points, 13 rebounds and three assists on 13/18 field goal shooting.

And the other new face also did plenty of damage as former Wildcat Sykes impressed with 16 points and four rebounds with a perfect 7/7 shooting.

Moore was again solid for the Pioneers, finishing with 19 points with 9/10 free-throw shooting with Elijah Saifaleupolu also ending up with 19 points, four rebounds and two assists.

Scott Telfer added 19 points and four assists, Ngor Manyang 13 points, 10 boards, three steals and two assists, and Micale Mee five points and four rebounds.