THE Tamworth Thunderbolt men will hit the boards for the first time in six weeks at the Tamworth Sports Dome tonight.
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And they’ll be back on them tomorrow with a State League double header against Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour.
The John Ireland-coached side was originally only playing Port tonight but then Coffs got flooded in and couldn’t get over for their game two weekends ago.
It’s meant the Thunderbolts haven’t had a game for six weeks.
Ireland said it’s obviously not an ideal situation but commended the players for their efforts at training.
They’ve tried to replicate the intensity of a game situation as much as they can.
“Hopefully we can pick up where we left off,” Ireland said.
Obviously there will be a few teething problems and cobwebs to blow out.
He said they were at full strength with Jayden Pryer making his return from injury.
“It will be good to have Jayden Pryer back on the floor,” he said.
“It’s only his second game of the season.
“He’s an exciting young kid who will be a big part of the group for years to come.
“He brings good athleticism, good energy, good rebounding and is another perimeter shooter.”
That athleticism is true of the side as a whole and something Ireland will be looking for them to take advantage of, along with their speed and skill.
He said the Dolphins and Suns were quite similar basketball teams and in a rebuilding phase after losing some key players.
“Both have a lot of new faces,” he said.
Both have been playing some good basketball though.
“Their results have been really positive,” he said.
“We’ll have to bring our game and play well.”
He isn’t reading much into their previous results against them.
They played Coffs back in the first game of the season.
“We won by about 60 but, as I said, they’ve improved massively,” Ireland said.
“They’ve competed well against some of the better sides in the competition.
“We will be playing a different team to three months ago.”
They were similarly convincing against Port, beating them by about 35, but Ireland countered that the scoreline didn’t reflect the game.
“It’s always a tough physical game against the Dolphins,” he said.
“We have to match them physically.”
Tip-off against Port is at 6pm with tomorrow’s game getting underway at 1pm.
The Thunderbolt women also have a gruelling weekend.
They’re at Minto and will play Bathurst and Goulburn today, and Hawkesbury tomorrow, and will be hoping to return with at least one win.
But it will be tough for the Chris Tudman-coached side with only seven of their 11 available.
THUNDERBOLTS MEN: Luke Krug, Matt Monkton, Max Chillingworth, Ricky Ward, Kyle Gupton, Jayden Pryer, Ben Eather, Justin Leahy, Reece Chillingworth, David Bourke.