Launceston Tornadoes are hopeful they can get gun recruit Marianna Tolo on court during their NBL1 South road trip this weekend.
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The Torns take on Geelong Supercats on Saturday night before a battle with Nunawading Spectres on Sunday at 12.30pm.
Tolo, an Australian Opal, didn't play minutes last weekend despite Launceston being hopeful of getting her on court.
"We're still waiting for her clearance to come back. It's been approved by France, her club and Basketball France and it's just sitting with FIBA," Tornadoes coach Sarah Veale said on Wednesday.
"FIBA sent some other clearances back over the weekend and not hers, we can't get any answers. We don't know why they're sitting on it.
"The rules of this is they've got six days. So obviously, it's been 10 now so hopefully, it'll come through by this weekend.
"If not, well I think we'll be okay without her, it's just going to be a bit harder for Kelsey (Griffin) and Keely (Froling)."
Froling, who played three seasons and in WNBL championships with Tolo at Canberra Capitals, is thrilled to have her on the Torns' roster.
"Tolo, Kelsey and I are really good friends and we stay in contact," she said.
"She's been over in France playing for the past nine months or, so we stayed in contact and always had thoughts of trying to get her down to the Torns. So it just worked out well."
Froling highlighted what Tolo brought to the table.
"She's six-foot-five so she brings a lot of size inside the key way and she's really strong in the post," she said.
"She's a great finisher in the key way, she can shoot from mid-range and the three-ball.
"And her leadership as well, she's such a calm player on the court and has so much experience."
Froling is also pleased to have the prized recruit on board given Griffin is heading back to the US for personal leave soon.
"It's awesome, it takes a bit of pressure off me. But to have someone come in and replace Kelsey of that calibre is probably pretty hard to do," she said.
"So it's great to have her in and gel with the team. And then hopefully, we get all three of us back together at some point and play which would be really good."
This weekend's double-header shapes up as crucial given the fifth-ranked Torns are taking on the fourth and sixth-placed teams.
"They're absolutely massive for us," Veale said.
"It depends on the other games as to how the top three go but we've got a really good opportunity to get ourselves in that top four.
"Then we plan to do our best to stay there because that means a home final for us which is super exciting for the community and for the club. It's financially really important."
Veale said the Torns had a clean bill of health.
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