THE release earlier this week of US import Gia Pack from the Mildura Heat women’s Big V Division 1 basketball team was shrouded in mystery after both parties declined to comment.
However, head coach James Madigan opened up at training on Thursday night about why the Phoenix native was sent packing.
“She came out with sore knees (last month) and she just couldn’t overcome it. We tried to help her, but she couldn’t get rid of it,” he said.
“Unfortunately with the season being so close (starting this weekend), we didn’t know how long this soreness was going to last.
“We have a duty of care to all our players and I didn’t want to make it any worse for her.
“We play at full pelt, and in her current state, it would have slowed our game down.
“So, we just didn’t want to take the chance with lots of unknowns and we eventually made the really tough call to release her.”
It’s completely understandable on Madigan’s part.
Hopefully Pack, who had her knees taped up during her only outing for the Heat where she played limited minutes in a practice game against Forestville last month, will come to realise the decision was made in her best long-term interests.
I did float the question to Madigan of whether the Heat needs to review its import recruitment processes, with Pack’s departure coming after men’s import Anthony Hill was cut six weeks before the end of last year’s season.
“No, I don’t think there’s a need for it,” said Madigan, who has coached 419 games for the Heat over the past two decades.
“You only have to look at my stable of imports over the years.
“I’ve had seven or eight (men’s and women’s) MVPs and just about every one of them has been named in the All Star 5, including Fanni (Szabo) last year.
“This latest one is just one of those circumstances where it didn’t work out.”
COURTING MORE DRAMA
THE latest drama with the Mildura Sporting Precinct build is particularly frustrating for one of the user groups, South Mildura Sporting Club.
It had seemed odd to me in recent weeks why the outdoor netball courts weren’t being used for tryouts or training after they’d been completed earlier in the year.
Well, the reason the courts haven’t been used is because they failed a surface test.
There’s been ample time to get this right before the start of next month’s SFNL season.
I really hope the council and contractor fix the problem as soon as possible and we see netballers playing on the new courts.
Also, it would be good to see some seating around the four courts for the players, coaches, officials and fans.
And while I’m touching on seating at MSP, it’s great that new terraces are being built to accommodate about 200 spectators at the premier oval.
Next cab off the rank is seating inside the stadium, something that had been overlooked in the first phase of the $46 million project.
However, a council spokesperson said this week that there’s movement on that front.
“We’re in the final stages of the procurement process to purchase the indoor seating and hope to place an order within the next fortnight for 500 retractable seats, which will provide us with flexibility to utilise them across Court Hall One,” the spokesperson said.
Hopefully the basketball community has been consulted before this purchase and they are satisfied that the seats are the right ones.
QUARTET’S GRAND SHOW
IT will be a big night for Southern Districts’ SFNL connection in the NT Premier League grand final today when the Crocs take on Waratah.
Ouyen United stars Kaine Stevens and Dean Staunton, along with Imperials’ gun defenders Matt Mazzini and Ben Galbraith, will back up for the Crocs tonight after helping the team advance to the granny with a 93-70 win against St Mary’s last Saturday night.
Unfortunately, Kanga and former Hawthorn player Dallas Willsmore didn’t qualify to play in the grand final, but the other quartet are in good form ahead of the decider.
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting hot, humid conditions with a possible storm for tonight’s game (par for the course at this time of year), which will make it a battle of attrition.
Let’s hope the local blokes get over the line.
A BAIRD BLOWOUT
A SCORECARD in the Red Cliffs Cricket Association’s B Grade game between Curlwaa and South West last weekend made for interesting reading.
Eight of South West’s nine wickets to fall were bowled, caught or LBW by a Baird.
Adrian Baird and his two sons, Jack and Ned, along with father-and-son Peter and Tom Baird and the son of Alistair Baird, Nathan, featured prominently in the scorebook.
Adrian (1/22), Peter (1/21), Jack (4/20) and Nathan (2/18) were the wicket-takers, while a run out spoiled the complete Baird party.
Nevertheless, there was still plenty to celebrate among the local Baird clan last Saturday night.
All the best, fellas, in today’s qualifying final against Nursery Ridge.
