Coach hoping extra height will force the issue
THE Ipswich Force women's team is hoping the addition of height will give them the extra edge they need to bring home a championship.
The Ipswich women's state league basketball team have been a perennial finals team in recent years but haven't been able to go all the way.
However, the team has signed four new players, including 183cm tall Ipswich product Stacey Howard.
The team, vitally, has retained the services of their WNBL stars Emma Langford (pictured) and Nadeen Payne.
Coach Brad George thinks the new signings would give them a leg up in the competition.
"We'd like to win it all," he said. "But our main goal is to make the top four again.
"We've got a good strong team and with the addition of the new girls and the height they bring will be vital.
"In recent years the taller teams have just been able to beat us on the boards. We should be able to better compete with them this year.
"I think we should be able to go pretty well."
George said the team was finalised and pre-season training was well under way.
"We got our roster together, now we're into training and everything is starting to come together well.''
The Ipswich women's team has a May 11 opening game, giving them time to gel before the season.
The men and women's Force teams will commence their season on Saturday, May 11, at The Southport School against the Gold Coast Rollers.
The opening home game of the season will be the week later at the Cotton On Foundation Stadium at Booval.
