The Castec Rural Pioneers continue their stretch of home games this Friday night as they take on the North West Tasmania Thunder and continue their 2024 NBL1 South season.

After their double header weekend the Pioneers will be heading into this game fresh and ready to play.

Mount Gambier split their back to back home games, winning on Saturday night and losing on Sunday.

NW Tasmania are 14th on the ladder with a record of 1-2.

Mount Gambier will be favourites heading into this game with the better record and home court advantage.

But wins are not guaranteed in this league and the Pioneers will have to bring their A game if they want to come away with the win.

Guard Nick Marshall is set to play a big role this game, as so far this year he is averaging 21.75 points, nine rebounds and 4.25 assists while shooting 53.85% from the field.

Marshall’s biggest struggle this season has been his fouling which hurt the team in its loss to Ballarat last week.

A defensive anchor for the team this season has been forward Akech Aliir who will need to play well this Friday night.

Aliir is averaging 14.50 points, 9.75 rebounds and 1.75 blocks per game this season and has been a reliable defender in the paint for Mount Gambier.

Head coach Richard Hill believes his side is prepared for the game after last weekend’s disappointing loss.

“They all pull their weight but sometimes they do not make shots,” he said.

Now four games into the season the side, which has a few new faces, is beginning to gel better as a team which Nick Marshall believes is the key to playing better baske ball.

Hill believes this too but he knows it is something that will not happen overnight.

“It takes some time, some new guys have come in so all of that takes a little bit of time with a bit of effort,” he said.

“But I think we are getting there.”