THE Portland Coasters’ Country Basketball League season begins this weekend, with both the men’s and women’s teams participating in a double header.

Games at home against Mount Gambier on Saturday will be followed by games against Warrnambool on Sunday, in Warrnambool.

With coronavirus wreaking havoc over the off-season, it remains to be seen the impact it will have on the season itself, whether other sides will be rusty from a lack of domestic basketball, or whether players from a higher level will want to come back down to compensate for a lack of playing time.

For both Coasters sides, however, this chaos represents an opportunity.

For Portland’s men’s side, who were runners-up last year, premiers Ararat have been unable to field a side, while for the women’s team, the return of Nicola Handreck is a boost that should lift the team to new heights.

Handreck’s return to Portland is a big boost to the Ellen Zeunert-coached women’s side, and the former Big V and USA College player has been named captain ahead of the first round of fixtures.

The return of Alana Strom is also very helpful, and Zeunert has high hopes for her side this coming season.

“It’s going to be a strong competition for sure,” Zeunert said.

“I expect all the teams to be really strong, especially Warrnambool, I’ve seen their squad and they’ve got a really handy squad.

“Mount Gambier are always strong and Horsham are always well-drilled.

“I’m hoping to make top two, make finals, that’s what you aim for.

“We’ll just take it game by game, see how it unfolds.

“We’ve got a really good squad, we’ve got a good combination of youth and experience and talls and smalls, with a lot of versatility; it’s a very athletic squad.

“Nicola, with all the experience behind her, is going to be targeted by coaches, so we’ll need everyone else to step up around her.

“It’s great to have Alana Strom back in, playing basketball… she’s a great athletic centre, very experienced.

“It’s just a good group, there’s a real good gel going, and even though we haven’t had sessions where we’ve all been there… it’s just a really good feel in the group.

“We’ve got a really athletic squad, so we’ll play up-tempo, aggressive basketball.

“We’ve got enough numbers to bring people in, so we’ll make rotations… (we’ll also have) more of a half-court structure.”

For the men’s side, who played well last year but were ultimately defeated by Ararat in the grand final, the lack of Ararat and the addition of some height this year bodes well for their chances.

The return of Horsham and Mount Gambier to the competition, however, are further challenges the side will have to face.

Toby Oakley returns to the side, to add to a talls department that had previously consisted of just one player, Nathan Hardingham.

Young guns Sam Peters and Rufus Punton join the side too, with mainstays David Denboer (who is captaining the side) and Trenton Johnston keeping their places.

Coach Rebel Noter says he wants his side to play a high-intensity brand of basketball.

“Because of our numbers, it’s going to be a lot of up-the-court pressure,” Noter said.

“A lot of transition and a lot of ball movement.

“We’ll be making teams defend us for the whole game.

“If you play us, you’ll have to defend every quarter.

“To be able to get back on the court, and the enthusiasm they’ve shown, we’ve had 18 training, which is really good.

“(I’m) looking forward to it actually, and it will be good to see how they go.

“This year, there’s a different sort of feel, knowing that it’s a longer season, and not much of a domestic competition leading up to it.

“It’s good to have Mount Gambier back, they’re always competitive… no Ararat this year, it opens it up as well.”

Tomorrow’s matches at the Portland Basketball Stadium are at 6pm (women v Mount Gambier) and 8pm (men v Mount Gambier), while Sunday’s matches at Warrnambool will be at 12 noon and 2pm.

Crowds are welcome, current COVID-19 rules apply.