Castec Rural Pioneers Pioneers Split Round 7 Victorian Road Double

The Castec Rural Pioneers opened their Round 7 road double in strong fashion, overcoming a fast-starting Bendigo Braves outfit to secure a 94–82 victory at Red Energy Arena.
 
Bendigo came out firing in the opening term, edging ahead 20–18 behind an aggressive offensive start, but Mount Gambier quickly settled into rhythm. The turning point came in the second quarter, where the Pioneers produced a dominant 31–18 run to take control of the contest heading into half-time.
 
From there, the Pioneers maintained their grip on the game, continuing to execute efficiently at the offensive end and limiting Bendigo’s scoring momentum. A composed second half saw Mount Gambier extend their advantage, finishing off a well-rounded team performance to open the weekend with a confident win.
 
Scott Telfer led from the front with 12 points, while Alex Mudronja delivered a strong all-round performance with 23 points and 8 rebounds. Ngor Manyang was impactful on both ends, adding 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Elijah Saifaleupolu chipped in 4 points and key defensive pressure.
 
Bendigo were led by Jarvis Doles who posted a double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds, while Billy Smythe added 18 points in the loss.
 
The win set the tone for Mount Gambier’s weekend as they improved their momentum on the road heading into the second game of the double-header.
 
The second leg of the double-header proved a tougher assignment for the Castec Rural Pioneers, who fell 95–77 to a sharp-shooting Eltham Wildcats side at Montmorency Secondary College.
 
Eltham started the game with more energy, taking a 23–14 lead after the first quarter and maintaining control through the opening half. Despite Mount Gambier’s efforts to respond, the Wildcats’ ball movement and outside shooting created separation, particularly in key moments of the second and fourth quarters.
 
The Pioneers showed resilience in patches, but Eltham’s depth and execution proved decisive as they pulled away late to secure the win and split the road double for Mount Gambier.
 
Scott Telfer again led the scoring with 13 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds, while Titus Robinson was a standout offensively with 16 points. Elijah Saifaleupolu added 6 points, while Ngor Manyang contributed 9 points and 4 rebounds.
 
For Eltham, TJ Weeks was influential with 21 points, while Leonardo Colimério added 16 points and Mitch McCarron finished with 11 in a balanced team performance.
 
Despite the loss, Mount Gambier return home with a split on the road and valuable lessons from a demanding back-to-back weekend against two quality opponents.

The Castec Rural Pioneers now return home to Wulanda Recreation & Convention Centre, where they will host the Casey Cavaliers on Saturday night.