Fresh off an exciting overtime win over the Albury-Wodonga Bandits, the Launceston Tornadoes chase an elusive away victories as they face the Ballarat Rush and Australian Centre of Excellence in a double-header.
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Yet to pick up a victory on the road in NBL1's prime-time Saturday night fixture, the Tornadoes have been rocked by the departure of Stella Beck through the week but coach Derrick Washington is confident in his side's ability without the New Zealander as she represents her home country in 3x3 Asian cup world qualifiers.
"Obviously we will miss Stella, she brings a lot of grit to the team," Washington said.
"But it just gives opportunities for local players to step up and other players to step up in a bigger role so it'll be a good test for us moving forward."
Coach of the Launceston outfit for the second year in a row, Washington credited the efforts of several players as the Tornadoes returned victorious to Elphin Sports Centre after a six-week hiatus.
"It was a gutsy win, they fought hard together. The locals stepped up, the imports stepped up, they played together and it was really good vibe.
"Sarah O'Neill, at 17 years old, she's our young rising star and she had a great game. Bec Abel shot really well and Brittany Hodges had a double-double.
"The whole starting five played well actually, all around double figures so I can't point out each one but overall, everyone came ready to play."
The Victorian double-header pits the 12th-placed Tornadoes against two sides who have started the season off in a similarly slow fashion, but still sit as dangerous games for the Launceston side.
"We've just got to take care of bodies, watch film, see what we did good and see what we need to improve on throughout the week and just make sure we are locked in for Saturday against Ballarat."
The Ballarat side sit one position below the Tornadoes on the ladder and have been led by Taiwanese star Hsi-Le Bao, who previously played under her American name Joy Burke.
Obviously we will miss Stella, she brings a lot of grit to the team.
- Derrick Washington
Bao averages 12.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game and has been assisted by Olivia Hackman (17 points and 10 rebounds).
Basketball Australia's team, full of the best 17 and 18-year-olds in the country, have struggled to make an impact at NBL1 level but Washington believes his young players will be able to step it up against them.
"We have a lot of great young players - O'Neill, Jess Johnston, Micah Simpson and Brooke Brown as well, they are going to have a step up in role and a confidence booster playing those games and that's what we want for our girls."
6pm Saturday - Ballarat Rush v Launceston Tornadoes, Ballarat Stadium
12pm Sunday - Launceston Tornadoes v Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence, Keilor Basketball Stadium
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Josh Partridge
As a sports-mad fan who loves to remain challenged, sports journalism always seemed the path for me and it's allowed me to do things I never thought possible. A keen racquet sports player, I'm experienced in that field, allowing me to do my job at a strong standard.
As a sports-mad fan who loves to remain challenged, sports journalism always seemed the path for me and it's allowed me to do things I never thought possible. A keen racquet sports player, I'm experienced in that field, allowing me to do my job at a strong standard.
