Geraldton Buccaneers NBL1 West team plan celebration for Mat Wundenberg’s 450th game

The Geraldton Buccaneers are hoping to celebrate a special anniversary for a special player on the road tomorrow.

Buccs coach Dayle Joseph said the side hoped to mark veteran Mat Wundenberg’s 450th game tonight with a win as they take on the Rockingham Flames in the first leg of a double-header before facing the Perry Lakes Hawks on Sunday.

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He said with the last ever State Basketball League champions’ start in the NBL1 West disrupted first by lockdowns and then by cyclone Seroja, readiness was weeks behind, but the squad had trained together well during the week and felt like they were achieving something — while remaining realistic about the side’s chances of making a splash.

“We’ve got two hard games, it’ll be pretty tough against two top-four teams,” Joseph said.

“It’s always good to pick up one win on the road, and hopefully we do that on Saturday.

“Disruptions mean no momentum or pattern or system. We’ve probably been four or five weeks behind right the very start and that takes its toll a little bit, but we’re continually working to be better every week.

“Everyone is really upbeat (after this week’s training) and we feel like we achieved something.”

We’ve probably been four or five weeks behind right (from) the very start and that takes its toll a little bit, but we’re continually working to be better every week.

Wundenberg is the Buccs’ all-time appearance record holder, with ex-Bucc and Perth Wildcat Greg Brown having played around 450 games of ball, but not all of them for Geraldton.

The Buccs are 12th with a 1-3 win-loss record in their last four games, while the Flames are fourth and 2-3 in their last five.

The Hawks are second and 4-1.

Perry Lakes Hawks co-captain Ben Purser is set to break his club’s games record of 336 games.

The 31-year-old would have broken the record, held by guard Tanya Kelly, last weekend but the side’s game against Mandurah Magic was called off due to lockdown.