Altona Gators will be hoping to set the scene for a big season in Big V men’s division 1 basketball during a favourable pre-Easter run of matches.
With two of their opening three games at The Swamp, the Gators can hit the ground running, starting with Sunday’s long-awaited season opener against the Warrnambool Seahawks.
“We’ve got three games before the Easter weekend off and we want to get off to a good start, especially with two games at home,” Gators coach Des Radoslovic told Star Weekly.
“It’s important that you look after your home court.”
The Gators have been hard at work in the gym since November.
Radoslovic put a structured training plan in place but is still surprised the season “creeps up so fast”.
His players are champing at the bit to get the season proper under way.
“A lot of work has gone into pre-season and the practice matches were good to get back into it, but the players are all looking forward to round one.”
The starting line-up will closely resemble that of last season.
Wilson Arob is the starting centre, Milos Trkulja will be the stretch four, and there will be a three-guard system in place with Joey Mausar and Brent Radoslovic on the wings and recruit Claudio Campos at the point.
Campos, recruited from the Melbourne University Black Angels, will be the undisputed starting point guard after the Gators parted ways with Kevin Badu.
“He’s not playing with us any more because his work situation changed,” Radoslovic said.
The Gators have promoted youth league player Montel Ween to the role of back-up point guard.
Ween has impressed since joining the senior team.
“He’s very talented and athletic as a back-up,” Radoslovic said.
“We’ve got nothing to worry about with him. He’s more than capable of playing the back-up minutes at point guard.”
Mausar will be fit and ready to start despite leaving his last pre-season game with an ankle injury.
The Gators youth league men and youth league women will be the curtain-raisers for the Gator men, ensuring a full day at the Altona Sports Centre on Sunday.
