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Tigers take in a full squad to work a tough night shift

Tonight is looming as a big one for one of the Geraldton Amateur Basketball Association’s founding clubs, Trades.

The Tigers are in both preliminary finals after defeating Pumas and Olympians in the men’s and women’s divisions respectively last week.

First-year coach Mick Surtees has a full-squad for the first time since December, with Jayden Crowe returning after missing last week because of illness.

Surtees said he was reasonably calm going into tonight’s match.

“We’re pretty happy with how we’ve come along this year, ” he said.

“It’s a brand new team.

“We’ve got three or four new players who’ve come across and veterans have retired, it’s a total new look for the Trades team from previous years.”

It’s a vastly different Trades outfit to last year, with Jack Stone (Olympians), Crowe (Pumas) and Paul Valenti (Hawks) joining the Tigers at the start of the season.

Surtees praised the efforts of recruit Valenti’s season.

He said the guard’s attitude and work ethic had been unquestionable since he joined the Tigers.

“He wasn’t one of the big-name recruits we had, but he’s done all the work and worked his way into the starting five, ” he said.

“He has improved a lot and impressed me about the way he goes about it.”

Two players Trades will have to nullify if they are to make it through to the grand final are Jordan and Dylan Myers.

Jordan averages 23 points a game this season, while his brother Dylan averages 21.

Surtees said they were mindful of the Myers brothers, but said the team overall was very strong.

“We’re aware of their impact, but not to the point where we put too much focus into them because then we lose focus on the other players, ” he said. “All their starters can score and can kill you.

“There are two or three players who can play on Dylan. We’ve got to be tight on him and try to stop his scoring a bit, but we’ve got to do that with about all of them.”

Surtees expects big games from key players Charles Thurkle, Jack Stone and Crowe.

Surtees sung the praises of Thurkle, who has had a stellar season.

“Charles has been great for us this year, ” he said.

“He’s really consistent, night in night out, you pretty much know what you’re going to get from him.

“He normally plays defence on the best player in the opposition too.”

Tip-off is 7.45pm and entry is $2.