Tonight might as well be the first Wednesday of September in Louisiana, because it is Gator season.
Shepparton's finest basketballers start another Big V Division One campaign tonight, again looking to earn promotion to the state's top-tier league, the Championship.
With coach Josh Waight calling the shots for the first time, the new-look cast has two games to get things going, travelling to Camberwell tonight before hosting Bulleen at the Swamp.
While last season's big three - Atem Atem, Javaan Mumtaz and Carlin Dupree - have departed, fresh faces will hope to take the side to the next level, with former Hawaii University guard Garrett Jefferson and Zimbabwe's Tinashe Matambanadzo to lead the way.
And former league MVP and club captain Matt Bartlett and Jake Cowling have both returned from the Bendigo Braves, while familiar faces like Nick Dodd, Sam Beks and Nathan Grace are also back in the squad.
All in all, Waight hoped his side could keep its head above water early before charging home late in the season.
“Making sure by halfway we're above 50 per cent (is important), and then we want to really hit our straps towards the back end of the season,” he said.
“It's probably not the ideal preparation, our import Garrett (Jefferson) has just arrived so he's still getting used to our system, but he's a high IQ player, so he'll be fine.
“We want to play a high tempo, push the ball, and really emphasise moving the ball from side to side. We've got a lot of guys that can score in multiple ways so we need to see good ball movement.
“The imports have fit in well, they're high-character people and really good to have involved with the group.”
The opening double-header presents two different challenges for the Gators, first tackling newly-promoted Camberwell before hosting the Boomers, who finished sixth in Division One.
“(Camberwell) won division two last season and got promoted, so they'll head in full of confidence. It's a really exciting test for us to open up with,” Waight said.
“(Bulleen has) got some size and some players with scoring ability, so we need to make sure we're locked in and ready to go.
“We're really excited about the challenge of this double-header, we'll find out where we stand, what we're good and what needs to be worked on.”