In the lead up to the 20th anniversary dinner for the Mount Gambier Pioneers on July 14, The Border Watch is featuring the people who have helped shape the national team on and off the basketball court.

Today we meet Bill Hately, an inaugural committee member and former Pioneers administrator.

WHEN you discuss the early years of the Mount Gambier Pioneers basketball club, Bill Hately's name is one that comes up almost straight away.

He was a dedicated and hard working committee member who was part of the initial plan to create a national side.

With Wayne Scutter as president, this committee worked amazingly quickly to form a team to play in the then named South Eastern Basketball League in 1988.

Not only was it a major project to get players on the court, but the committee needed major financial backing to ensure the club had the resources to compete.

With this in mind Mr Scutter and Mr Hately arranged to meet with Allan Scott AO OAM and discuss their proposal.

"We didn't know how much it would cost," Mr Hately said.

"We met Mr Scott and he said 'run the team and I'll make up the short fall’.

"Although we had a plan, we didn't know how many people would come through the doors."

The first game attracted 500 fans and by the second home game the stadium capacity had been extended by 100 seats.

And, although the side struggled on the court, this new initiative was a huge success.

"Because it was a national league, the whole community wanted to be involved," Mr Hately said.

"We got a lot of support, it was very exciting.

"I remember when we won our first game, it was like we won a grand final."

Once this inaugural season was completed, what was to come next surprised all involved.

"After that first season, we sold 900 season tickets for the following season," Mr Hately said.

"Through the support of the city council, we were able to build the west side of the stadium after the first season.

"The stadium was just full every game."

In the coming seasons, the Icehouse would become one of the best home court advantages in the league.

"After a few years, we were very, very competitive," Mr Hately said.

"The home court became a fortress for the club.

"But, opposition teams loved coming to Mount Gambier.

"We really led the way with hospitality and the social side of things."

Although Hately does not like talking up his own successes with the club, he is someone that worked hard to ensure the Pioneers became something everyone in the South East could be proud of.

He became administrator of the club in its second season and would win the administrator of the year award.

"I was very lucky to be administrator at the time," he said.

"We had a great committee that ran the club well and ran the team well.

"Beth (Serle) was the back stop behind the whole thing, she really led the way.

"Financially, Mr Scott was our backbone and he gave us the financial backing that kept us going."

When reminiscing about those first few seasons, Mr Hately came back to a common theme - community support.

"The community support is the thing that came out in the early days," Mr Hately said.

"All the local businesses got behind us and were good to basketball at the time and we had great support from city council and in the media from The Border Watch, 5SE and Channel Eight.

"And it wasn't long before all the visiting teams loved coming to Mount Gambier."

As for his favourite player in his time with the club, Mr Hately did not hesitate in his answer.

"Andre La Fleur is probably the most exciting player I saw," he said.

"He was a scorer, but he assisted as well and just played everywhere.

"He was a great player to deal with and was very honest."

Unfortunately Mr Hately is unable to attend the anniversary dinner, but he has a written testimonial that will be read out on the night.