Warrnambool Seahawks basketballer Dailin Toone earns Big V debut

Warrnambool Seahawks coach Tim Gainey said Toone would suit up for the round three clash against Bellarine Storm at the Arc.

Gainey said he deserved his spot after "all his work off the court to get his body into a certain shape and to understand the plays".

"We are trying to give kids an opportunity," he said.

"It's a dream for them to crack into the Seahawks squad.

"He might sit down (on the bench) or he might be playing."

Toone comes in for the injured James Mitchell (knee).

The Seahawks are winless with the experienced coach expecting improvement as the new-look side evolves.

He said cutting out turnovers was crucial to their chances against Bellarine, a new team in the competition this season.

"Our spacing between passes needs to get a lot better," Gainey said.

"Against Sunbury we had 23 turnovers and they had 26 points off our turnovers and we lost by 12."

Abbey Sutherland and Kat Aitken, who has overcome concussion, will suit up for the Mermaids as they strive to secure their first win of the championship season.

Mermaids coach Louise Brown believes the pair will help against McKinnon Cougars at the Arc.

"At the start of the year I would've put them in the high end of the competition," he said.

"But they played Casey last weekend and we played Casey in round one and we were both beaten by similar margins.

"I don't know if I can take much out of that or not."

Veteran Kate Sewell, who was a surprise inclusion last week, will not play against the Cougars.

But Brown said Sewell was yet to rule herself out of the remainder of the season.

The Mermaids will tip-off at 6pm with the Seahawks to follow at 8pm.

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