The OneFortyOne Pioneers women launched back onto the winners’ list, returning with two comprehensive victories from their double header Victorian road trip.
The Pioneers took the court against the Kilsyth Cobras on Saturday night and claimed a 21 point win, backing up on Sunday with a 15 point victory over the Diamond Valley Eagles.
The victories have Mount Gambier in fourth position on the ladder, as the NBL1 South conference heads into the final stretch.
The Pioneers took to the court with determination on Saturday night, opening the scoring in the first 30 seconds of play, before going on to keep the Cobras scoreless for two minutes.
Prolific scorers Sammy Fatkin, Isabella Brancatisano, Sherrie Calleia and Zitina Aokuso sent down four consecutive three pointers to have the Pioneers up 14-3 half way through the quarter.
The hosts staged a mini rally, but Brancatisano was not done, sending down another three to have Mount Gambier up 23-9 at the first break.
Kilsyth had been restricted to four successful scoring shots and a free throw during their low scoring opening quarter.
Pioneers young gun Tenielle Human opened the scoring for the visitors in the second quarter, sending down a three, while Zoe Hurley also joined the party, scoring from outside the arc to see Mount Gambier up 31-11 in the opening two minutes.
The Cobras pushed to open up their scoring, managing to claw their way back to get within 13 points before Mount Gambier surged again to finish up 44-26 at the main break.
Kilsyth were again held scoreless in the opening three minutes of the quarter, and by half way through the stanza Mount Gambier had doubled their score to lead 56-28.
The hosts’ scoreless run continued, with Mount Gambier tightening their grip on the game to deny the Cobras’ charges to the ring, with Kilsyth taking another four minutes before they could again trouble the scoreboard.
The Pioneers held Kilsyth to seven points for the quarter, coming from two scoring shots and two free throws, with Mount Gambier heading into the final stanza up 60-33.
The Cobras turned the tables on the visitors in the last quarter, holding the Pioneers to only nine points while scoring 15 of their own.
However it was too little, too late, as Mount Gambier took the win 69-48.
In doing so, Kilsyth recorded the second lowest score of the NBL1 South conference season.
Calleia continued her purple patch, scoring 19 points, with captain Brancatisano and Fatkin each contributing 12.
The Pioneers backed up Saturday night’s win with a tighter tussle against the Diamond Valley Eagles on Sunday.
Mount Gambier set the tone early, with Fatkin and Calleia knocking down consecutive three pointers to open play as the Pioneers jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the opening two minutes.
The seemingly stunned Eagles then kicked into gear, going on a 9-0 run to snatch the lead.
The game tightened up as the lead changed six times in seven minutes, before the Pioneers held the slenderest of margins at the break, up 21-20.
The second quarter was again tightly fought, with the hosts reclaiming in the lead in the opening 10 seconds of play.
Haliegh Reinoehl dominated play, as the Pioneers pushed out to a 10 point lead before the Eagles retaliated, firing off back to back threes to get within three, which remained the deficit at half time.
Scoring dried up in the third quarter, with the Pioneers taking 90 seconds to get on the scoreboard, and in return holding Diamond Valley scoreless for more than four minutes.
Half way through the quarter only six points had been scored, as both sides ran the court and tightened their defences.
Mount Gambier outscored the Eagles 13-10 for the quarter, taking a 57-51 lead into the final change.
The hosts pushed back to get within two points of the Pioneers, however Mount Gambier steadily pulled away to take the win 85-70, finishing off a successful weekend.
Reinoehl scored 25 points in the win, with Aokuso chipping in with 20, Calleia 15 and Hurley 12.
