Sarah Mozley

As the Tigers prepare for round one of the SBL season this weekend, MSBL head coach Steve Black said he is excited to dive in with a new-look team.

The Tigers have acquired key imports during the off-season, including Mo Barrow, KG Hymon and Jackson Hussey.

Black said the Tigers have focused on building a stronger defensive structure this year and these players will be critical to filling that role.

“We have focused on our Defence and made acquiring versatile defenders a priority in the off-season,” Black said.

“Mo is a stud in this league, he is a premiere defender and constant mismatch for opponents at the offensive end... KG is an elite defender and finisher, a great passer and hopefully will anchor our Defence.

“Huss is an elite point guard in this league and is a natural leader, I believe Huss can be a great scorer and creator for us, depending on the situation.”

The Tigers are also committed to developing Willetton juniors into the SBL this year, providing another level of depth to their team.

“I am excited for the depth of Willetton juniors we have at our disposal and can’t wait to see them compete against the best,” Black said.

“With the breadth of changes this year I need to be patient early… I am, however, genuinely excited every day we go to train and play because of those changes and the potential of bringing our talents together.”

The Tigers will take on the Cockburn Cougars at Wally Hagan Basketball Stadium in round one of the SBL season this Saturday.

“To win, we will need to set the defensive tone, make things difficult for their shooters and do our best to restrict the excellence of Gavin Field,” Black said.

“If we do this, we can play in the open court and use our depth to put up a winning score.”

Tip-off is at 5pm for WSBL, followed by MSBL at 7pm.