By Tyler Wright
The Sherbrooke Suns will see their women’s Big V side compete in the state championships this season, with two imports set to make waves on court.
American Porsche Poole will play for Sherbrooke as well as returning New Zealand import Alicia Carline.
Stephanie Pal and Tanarly Hood will also represent the Dandenong Ranges in the women’s championships competition after playing for the respective Pakenham Warriors and Southern Peninsula in 2022.
“Our two imports spectators seem to like because they’ll score the most points,” coach Chad Burton said.
After a loss of against reining premiers Bulleen on Sunday 19 March, scoring 51 to their opponent’s 85, Burton said the team will have to get used to the increased tempo and physicality of games at the top level.
“We didn’t shoot well at all, when you shoot at 20 per cent in a game you’re not going to win many games, so it wasn’t a good first start but the team will bounce back and we’ll get better…we should win the next few games hopefully,” Burton said.
The team’s goal, Burton said, is to make finals after moving from division two, to division one and now the top level in the sport since he became coach four years ago.
“If we can make finals and the girls play well and they improve and get better as the season goes on, then I’ve done my job,” he said.
“The main thing is for me to develop the players and to make them better than what they were at the start of the year.”
The Sherbrooke Basketball Association has also put up a division two men’s team, a youth league men’s team and a youth league women’s team in the 2023 Big V season.
“From a club point of view, it’s probably one of our best years,” Burton said.
“We’re progressing, we’re getting bigger, we have more junior teams…
“Hopefully we win some games and everything will be perfect.”
Sherbrooke Suns’ Division One women’s side won the grand final against Warrnambool after a season with 14 wins and only two losses.
Sherbrooke will take on Wyndham at Upwey High School’s Bell Real Estate Stadium on Saturday 1 April.
