Hobart Chargers led for all but 22 seconds to walk away comfortable 66-50 victors in the return to the Derwent Entertainment Centre for the first time in two decades.

The postscript from the huge all-Tasmanian SEABL double-header on Saturday night was the Chargers obliterated North West Thunder 98-41 that also consigned the coastal side to back-to-back weekend losses.  

In a night of hurt pride for Northern Tasmanian basketball, coach Ben Rush was minus seven of last year’s roster.

The Torns was hit hard by the forced unavailabilities of WNBL players Ally Wilson and Tayla Roberts, and now WNBA bound Mikaela Ruef.  

“Given how many new players we have, we haven’t had a proper practice match, so this was like it,” Rush said.

Launceston trailed by eight and 15 points at the first two changes, but despite narrowing the deficit back to 10 heading into the last, the Chargers finished the better.

“So we just struggled to combine well because we are still new to each other,” Rush said. But he was quick to admit his side “just did not shoot well enough”.

New Sydney Uni Flames recruit Lauren Nicholson scored 16 points while Ellie Collins proved serviceable against her ex-side with 11. 

Though Hobart regained the Mitchell-Greenwood Trophy, Rush was taking stock of the side’s first game.

“We played 11 girls, we had a lot of contributors and a lot of positives,” Rush said.