Senior Bears Pre-Season Trials
The Norths Bears Waratah Championship teams will ramp up their pre-season preparations this weekend with crucial practice games in the lead up to season opener against local rivals Manly on Saturday March 15.
The men’s team will travel to Canberra to take on SEABL clubs Canberra and Basketball Centre of Excellence in what will be Coach Ben Knight’s final tune-up prior to the blockbuster season opener against 2013 Waratah Champions Manly.
The trip to the national capital will provide a real challenge for the Bears outfit, with the Canberra outfit a perennial SEABL finalist and the Centre of Excellent team including some of the most exciting young talent in Australian basketball.
In what will be an ideal final weekend of preparations for the Bears, the team will take on the Gunners at Belconnen at 7pm Saturday and then match-up with the young COE team at the Australian Institute of Sport on Sunday afternoon.
With 2013 Waratah MVP Jarrad Weeks still on NBL duties, Knight will look to Nic Blair to step up as the floor general and will also be keen for promising young forward Fabijan Krslovic to step up against the deep and talented Gunners front-line.
New Norths Waratah Championship Women’s mentor Natalie Stafford will take the helm of the team for the first time when the young Bears outfit take on Bankstown at Condell Park on Saturday afternoon. Stafford will be keen to provide some all-important match practice for her group against a Bankstown team that has competed in 10 consecutive Waratah Championship final fours and is always in the mix for the championship.
The Bears have added experienced SEABL campaigner Katina Mandylaris to the front court and Saturday’s game will be a good opportunity to blend the new group together a week out from a crucial season opener against Manly. Mandylaris has extensive SEABL experience and brings scoring, rebounding and defensive versatility to the table for the young Bears.
Tip-off for the game is 2.30pm at Bankstown Basketball Centre and Bears fans are encouraged to make the trip west to watch some of the new faces don the red and black for the first time.
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