Sarah Oliver
A debut for the Bacchus Marsh Lions women’s team is two years in the making in the Country Basketball League north-west competition.
Lions coach Grace Bibby said COVID had impacted their efforts to create a women’s side, but that they’re excited to finally start playing.
The aim of a senior women’s team is mostly to encourage the younger female players to stay with the Lions as they age up.
“We want to push the idea of that player pathway so we can continue to be a strong town when it comes to female basketball,” Bibby said.
She said for the last few years there has been a drop off in junior players heading towards their senior careers and moving to surrounding areas like Bendigo and Melton.
Bibby said they’re “just making sure we’re really building a strong pathway for the junior program”.
Lions members and fans can expect a few familiar faces on the court next week.
Guard Jordan Wilson who Bibby said has been around for a long time at the club will be returning, alongside Maddy McGill and Shaelee Grundy, who also played at junior level.
Trinity Steel will also return to the club as a point guard and Bibby said she had probably missed out on opportunities because there was no senior team at the town.
The Lions welcome quite a few new players to the team, including Molly Young who Bibby said is the team’s “biggest player”.
“Young is quite strong and comes across from Melton in the Big V,” Bibby said.
Bec Marshall is another who crosses from Melton as a “really strong” point guard who Bibby said was probably their best leader.
Bibby said Chelsea Randich, who comes from Ballarat, is the best shooter in the team, while mother and daughter duo Deb and Olivia Ogston join the Lions from Sunbury.
Zara Arghangelski, who comes from Maryborough, is a good all round good player.
Shelby Allen, Lauren Conroy and Chantelle Paris Webb from Melton also come on board.
Kelly Richardson, who will add some height, joins from Ballarat, is also taking on the role of assistant coach.
The women play Maryborough at home for their first game which Bibby said will be “a tough task”.
Bibby, previously coached Maryborough, said she has “a fair idea of what we’ll come up against”.
“Hopefully that holds us in good stead.”
Bibby said the team is “pretty confident in the way we’ve trained” and plan “be competitive in that first year”.
But mostly, she said it’s been a really “horrific couple of years”, so they’re “just really excited to get out there and get back to community sport”.
The Lions men’s side also faces Maryborough to open the season.
