Runnin’ Rebels out to claim their chip

HARRISTOWN is looking to its fortunes around in the Big Q finals tomorrow.

Pop Dickerson believes the Runnin’ Rebels have their best chance at Big Q glory. Picture: Nev Madsen

BASKETBALL: As four teams prepare their charge for the Big Q finals this weekend, a Toowoomba mainstay is hoping it can lift the trophy for the first time.

The Harristown Runnin’ Rebels, led by Mountaineers royalty Pop Dickerson, have featured in the finals of the first two editions of the competition, but have been unable to advance to a decider.

After finishing the carnival phase of this year’s competition in first place, Dickerson said the time is now for the Runnin’ Rebels to take the next step.

“We want to win one of these competitions,” Dickerson said.

“We haven’t been successful so far, but I fell like this is our best opportunity yet to win one.

“I like the make up of our squad. We’ve got JJ (Joseph Johnson), Charles (Dickerson) and Syd (Hume) playing well, and some younger guys that have been looking good.

“In saying that the Saints are a dark horse. We would have preferred not to play them, and we are certainly not writing them off. They’re a veteran team that knows how to play.”

Tomorrow’s finals day will feature semi finals at 3pm at Clive Berghofer Arena, before the grand final at 5pm.

Harristown will take on Toowoomba Saints, while the defending champion Polar Bears (formerly USQ) will face off with Warwick.

Point guard Daniel Sims believes that while the Saints veteran presence will be tough to break down, they can get the better of their opponents by controlling the tempo of the contest.

“We’ve played at a high level so far this season and finished first overall in the regular season so that’s a good sign,” Sims said.

“Our young guys have been playing well and I’m happy with how they’ve performed. They’ve really stepped up and worked hard.

“Against Saints we can capitalise in transition. We’ve got the legs and the youth.

“They’ll hurt us if we play to their strengths and allow them to dictate the tempo of the game. So we want to come out strong and ready.”

Despite the lay-off between the last carnival in Warwick last month, Sims said that all players had been continuing to keep themselves in game shape.

“I know myself personally that I’ve been training every day and there’s a lot in our team that have,” he said.

“Basketball is a profession for us, and a few other teams mightn’t be as ready as we are.

“It’s been mostly individual training because there’s still a lot of guys at work and other commitments.

“But we’ve left it to ourselves, and we know that we’ll get out what we put in.”

In addition to the Big Q A-grade finals, the reserve grade semi finals will be played at 2pm, followed by the grand final at 4pm.

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