Basketball
21 November, 2025
Hornets' vital showdown
The Horsham Hornets men’s and women’s teams are ready to finish the regular season with a bang as they finish the regular season with home games this Saturday and Sunday at Horsham Basketball Stadium.
The Horsham Hornets men’s and women’s teams are ready to finish the regular season with a bang as they finish the regular season with home games this Saturday and Sunday at Horsham Basketball Stadium.
Action kicks off at 6pm on Saturday when the Lady Hornets host league leaders Millicent, followed by the men’s side taking on Ararat at 8pm.
Both Hornets teams will take on Mount Gambier on Sunday, with the women starting at 12pm, followed by the men’s game at 2pm.
To support the sides, fans are encouraged to wear the Hornets’ blue to the games, where men’s coach Scott Benbow is excited for his team to play in front of a big home crowd.
“It’s huge for us to play at home,” Benbow said.
“When 350 people turn up, you certainly feed off that energy.
“I’m sure each game will be pretty packed out because it may be the last time we get to play in front of them this year.”
The men’s side is currently within the all-important top four with a 5-3 record, but with most teams playing two games in the eighth and final round of the regular season, the final positions are far from determined.
Portland and Colac are still in contention behind the Hornets, so two wins is the strongest guarantee of a finals spot for Horsham.
However, they face the top two sides in Mount Gambier and Ararat.
The first test comes against Ararat, who pose many offensive weapons, most notably Zac Dunmore, who is averaging 43.6 points per game this season.
Benbow said his side is prepared to play the Redbacks, acknowledging that execution on the defensive end will be necessary.
“The focus will be our team defence and making sure that we don't give them open shots, and try and make every shot contested,” Benbow said.
“They're a great side and Josh Fiegert has got them playing really, really well.
“They're going to be dangerous on Saturday night, so we'll have a plan for how we want to play them.”
Benbow expects an even bigger challenge come Sunday against league leaders Mount Gambier, where the two sides will meet for the first time since the Hornets won last year’s grand final to take out the 2024 championship.
“I still think Mount Gambier are the side to beat,” Benbow said.
“They've just got some guns that have played for a long time, they've been together for a long time, they know each other's game.
“They're all guard height, they just move the ball, and if you stop one action, another one will come.
“But we’re looking forward to it because we haven't played them yet, so it will be a rematch of the grand final from last year.”
The women’s side is no longer in contention for the finals, but coach Jordyn Burke is keen to finish the season on a high in front of a home crowd after a challenging road trip in round seven.
“It was a proper road trip for the girls against the top two sides, which was hard yards, but I thought they acquitted themselves fantastically,” Burke said.
“I don’t think the scoreboard reflected how much they learned, and we had some really good periods against two very good sides.
“That will hold us in good stead for this week, and with a couple more soldiers on deck this week, we’re really keen to play at home.
Asked what the message to the team is ahead of the final two games, Burke said he wants the team to enjoy themselves and try to pull off a big win.
“Let’s finish on a high and get a win,” Burke said.
“I’ve told them all year that it’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t happen; it’s about continually taking strides in our game.
“It would be great to get a bit of nourishment at the end of the year.
“We saw how much they enjoyed it and how much it meant to the girls when they won the other week in front of a home crowd, so to get another win or two will be a nice way to finish.”
“Having faced Millicent last week, Burke knows what to expect from the league leaders on Saturday and what will be needed to nullify both them and Mount Gambier on Sunday.
“I think the biggest thing we've got to do is eliminate their opportunity to hit the three; they hit 10 threes against us last week,” Burke said.
“That and our ability to put pressure on them up the court.
“Mount Gambier, they're big girls who do a good job of scoring in the paint, so it's super important that we really control the boards this time and create more scoring opportunities."