The Bern Bruning Basketball stadium has been rocking with energy since the successful first home game of the Mount Gambier Pioneers, the quality basketball will continue this Wednesday night with the Men’s and Women’s SECBL Grand Finals.

Tip-off for the Women’s game will be at 7.30pm between rivals the Cougars and the Saints. Both teams have beaten each other twice in the first four encounters during the season, the Cougars with a comprehensive 75 to 48 win last time they met.

Cougars head coach Bryan Green is expecting a hard fought game, ‘These have been the best two teams all year and two sides that always play hard against each other’ The battle between the coaches will also be a game within the game ‘It is always really difficult to play against a team which is coached by Peter,  I have so much respect for his coaching.’

The game will boast some Pioneer talent, Cougars pair of Tenille Gray and Keryl Ousey will be important as will Saints players Emily Winter and Georgia Winter.

The Men’s game will tip off at 8.45pm, the Roos will face off against the Panthers. Both teams showing major improvement from the previous season where the Panthers had an early exit from finals and the Roos finished dead last.

Pioneer Brad Rathjen is very proud of his young side ‘Making the Grand Final is pretty unexpected, not many people would have thought we could get this far but we came together at the right time and got some big wins!’ The Roos have been a tough matchup for the Panthers all season but Brad thinks his young side can get the job done, ‘We have struggled with the Roos throughout the season and this will be a tough game but we know what we have to do to win and hopefully our young side can get it done.’

During the season the Roos overcame the Panthers twice in their three matchups, their most recent matchup had the Roos 91 to 68. There is definitely an element of youth and athleticism vs age and experience in this matchup.  

Roos Head Coach Peter Holmes is looking forward to the matchup ‘I am really excited to take on the Panthers in the Grand Final. They are a young team led by Brad Rathjen who we need to contain. It should be a fast-paced tight contest, and even though we finished third we are in form and a good chance to bring the Barrie Holmes shield back to the Roos.’