With Melbourne's COVID-19 situation continuing to postpone matches for all Victorian-based teams, the decision was made to bring the Tassie tussle forward to June 5.

After defeating the South Australian-based Mount Gambier Pioneers last week in a 82-79 Launnie blockbuster, Torns coach Sarah Veale said she was pleased with her team's resilience.

"It was always going to be a challenge for us in our first game without Keely [Froling] where we didn't have Kelsey [Griffin]," she said.

"We didn't have that go-to person that could solve things for us.

"At no point were we ever worried, even though at one point we were down 14 points.

"It was just a matter of when we could click and start playing the way we needed to play."

The three-point comeback win was done without key veteran scorers Froling and Griffin, with the unstoppable Mariah Payne (30 points), Teyla Evans (16pts) and D'Asia Chambers (17pts) all playing top games for the Torns.

When Payne was fouled out of the match in the fourth quarter, Veale credited Micah Simpson, Emerson Wells and Makala Bingley for locking down the Pioneers to get the win.

"We're really starting to understand the process works for us if we stick to it," she said.

"We were disciplined at times, but not all the time.

"We got a message from Keely who was watching the game from Austria - she said she was screaming at her computer the whole time."

Froling will remain out this week as she quarantines in Melbourne after being in Austria for the 3x3 Olympic qualifiers.

Griffin, on the other hand, is slated to return against the Chargers this weekend.

"We're in a really lucky position that we played last week and this week," Veale said.

"We really feel for the Victorian teams who can't plan or play at the moment - that will impact their momentum."

Veale added this weekend's match against the Chargers would be very different from their season opener.

"They don't have [Maddie] Garrick, they've got Sharna Thompson and Ellie [Collins] has really started to play well," she said.

"I think it will be another really close, competitive game."

Collins had 21 points for the Chargers in their loss to Mount Gambier last round.

North-West Thunder coach Nick Haywood is banking on some regional pride to help get his team over the line in Saturday night's NBL1 South blockbuster against Hobart.

While the Thunder currently have a squad made up of players exclusively from the top half of Tasmania, the Chargers will arrive in Ulverstone with line-up featuring three players from out of town, including new signing Tad Dufelmeier.

Haywood admitted that they feel like the poor cousins on the Tasmanian basketball scene at times, but is using that as a motivating factor this season as they try to keep their spot at the pointy end of the ladder.

"It can't be an excuse for us because we've played good basketball against other top teams in this league so far," he said.

"Our guys have been together for a while now, but I feel it's no hassle for Hobart to just go and grab someone that they think they need.

Do you know someone who is contributing to Northern Tasmanian sport, whether through participating or assisting?

The Examiner's Junior Sports Awards, sponsored by Woolworths, provide acknowledgement of accomplishments by players, coaches, volunteers, teams and clubs across the region.

Nominations are open from Wednesday, April 14, and will close at midnight on October 4.

Entries must include a photograph of the entrant.