The Kyneton Tigers are optimistic they can go one step further in the upcoming Country Basketball League north west season.
The Tigers’ senior women’s side fell just short of premiership glory in the 2020/21 season, falling in deciding match to the Bendigo Braves 73 to 50.
But the season marked a significant improvement for the Tigers, who finished bottom of the ladder in 2019/20, with four wins and eight losses.
New head coach Cameron Wilkosz said 80 per cent of the team that lined up for the Tigers last season were returning this year.
“One of the reasons I wanted to come across and coach this team is they have such a solid group,” Wilkosz said.
“I’ve known quite a few of the girls for some years and coached them before at different times in Bendigo.
“I’d love to take them one step further this year and I think they have the talent to do it.
“So I’m really not going to push too hard [when coaching], because they just need to get that tiny bit further. They already have ingredients to get it done.
Wilkosz joins the Tigers with several years of coaching under his belt.
He’s previously held positions at the Bendigo Braves, the Bendigo Spirit and has an ongoing role as part of the La Trobe University women’s program.
Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, Wilkosz said the side had not been able to train together for some weeks and that no official start date for the upcoming season had been announced.
“But if there’s any team that has an advantage with that [minimal preparation], it is probably Kyneton,” he said. “If we got told we are playing this Saturday, I’d be pretty confident because the players know each other quite well.”
Oliver Lees
