The Castec Rural Pioneers finished up the NBL1 South regular season with a big win over the Ringwood Hawks on Friday night at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre.
The Pioneers finished the 2024 season first on the ladder with a record of 17-5 – including not dropping any away games.
The Pioneers started hot in the opening quarter, going on a 15-3 run in the first five minutes.
Mount Gambier dominated the Hawks in the first term, holding them to 12 points.
The return of Nick Marshall proved to be a key piece in the team’s success as he had seven points in the first term.
Also starting the game hot was Akech Aliir, who has found some great form late in the season, chipping in 11 points in the quarter to help the Pioneers to a 16 point lead at the first change.
The Pioneers continued their momentum in the second as they went on a 10-2 run to start the quarter.
Once again the Pioneers defence put the clamps on Ringwood as they held the Hawks to 17 in the quarter.
The Pioneers were on fire from behind the arc, nailing five threes with 62.5% shooting and after a dominant first half Mount Gambier headed into the half time break with a 28 point lead.
The Pioneers continued to keep the pressure on the Hawks with their lights out shooting, knocking down eight threes off 61.54%.
Ringwood on the other hand were ice cold from deep, as they shot 2/21 in the first three quarters.
After a 36 point quarter from the Pioneers they headed into the final period with a 38 point lead.
In the final quarter and with the game very much in hand the Pioneers youngsters of Jackson Bowden, Jack Hagget and Harry Mules saw some well earned court time as they helped close out the 42 point victory.
Mount Gambier defeated Ringwood 117-75.
Akech Aliir once again had a dominant performance, finishing with a 29 point and 19 rebound double double, now making it four double doubles in his last five games and finishing the regular season with 10.
After missing four straight games Nick Marshall was back in business with 22 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Another big contributor was Austin Shelley who finished with an efficient 18 points and was lights out from three, hitting five in the game while only missing once.
After the game Nick Marshall reflected on how playing for Adelaide in the NBL during the summer helped him have a good season and how it will help him come finals.
“NBL season is a whole other level compared to NBL1 so I’m looking forward to getting back to Adelaide for that season but right now I’m just really focused on these next four weeks, there are going to be tough games but we got the home games so it should be good,” Marshall said.
After having a dominant performance to end the season Marshall outlined how it will help the side heading into finals.
“It builds team chemistry, obviously I have not been playing the last couple of weeks but we just moved the ball well tonight and everyone was hitting their shots,” he said.
After missing the last four games for the Pioneers Marshall reflected on how he felt getting back onto the court.
“I was a little shaky to start, missing some easy layups but once I got settled in it was just like riding a bike,” Marshall said.
With the regular season now all wrapped the Pioneers are set to face the fourth placed Sandringham Sabres in the NBL1 South Finals at Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre this Saturday.
