A playoff berth now secured, the Hoop City Geelong United Supercats will turn their attention to using the final four regular season games to prepare for the 2023 NBL1 South playoffs.
That will include reintegrating star duo Chantel Horvat and Monica Okoye into the group following FIBA Women’s Asia Cup duties.
Horvat, who was part of the Australian bronze medal-winning roster, has only missed four games.
However, Okoye, who this week signed with WNBL club University of Canberra Capitals, hasn’t played since Round 5, missing 11 games while in camp with Japan ahead of its campaign that netted a silver medal.
Both will take to the floor against finals-bound Ringwood on Friday night and at home against Ballarat on Saturday evening, giving coach Matthew Paton a flexible roster of 11 to run with.
“We can slide some people into different positions and have positional versatility,” he said.
“We can play some different-looking lineups on the floor, depending upon our matchups.
“I’m glad to be worrying about adding two national team players to our roster.”
NAIDOC ROUND – GAME NIGHT PROGRAM
The weekend’s contests will be no pushover for Geelong United (4th, 13-5).
Ringwood (6th, 12-8) is full of confidence after beating second-placed Waverley on Wednesday night on the back of 24 points and 13 rebounds from Mareena Whittle.
Ballarat (19th, 3-16) will have plenty of motivation to get off the bottom of the ladder with Miners great Kristy Rinaldi, who has announced she will retire at the end of the season, playing her 350th game.
The Geelong United-Ballarat women’s matchup is game one of the battle for the Mark Leader Shield.
The winner will be determined by who has the highest aggregate score from the women’s and men’s games between the Supercats and Miners.
Click below for the live stream and stats for both games.
Minimal tickets remain for Saturday night’s NAIDOC Round game night. Purchase yours now via bit.ly/3pqEQRA
