Milestone celebrations for Warrnambool Big V players Tim Gainey, James Mitchell

The close mates will celebrate two special milestones - Gainey's 350^th game and Mitchell's 200^th - when Warrnambool Seahawks host Bulleen Boomers in the final regular season round at the Arc on Saturday night.

Gainey - the club's games record-holder who first suited up in 2006 as a fresh-faced American import - was co-coach when 15-year-old Mitchell made his debut in 2010.

Together they've ridden the highs and lows of state league basketball with their fondest memory the Seahawks' drought-breaking championship in 2016.

Gainey, 40, has no plans of retirement on the horizon while Mitchell, 28, is immersed in the Seahawks' program.

Mitchell said Gainey was "one of the big reasons the club is what it is today".

"Tim's one of my best mates, first mentors really. He was one of the coaches when I played my first game," he said.

"He's coached, he's captained, he's been MVP, he's won championships, he's won defensive players (awards) - anything you can do for the club, he's done it.

"For all he's done, he probably doesn't get enough recognition for how big he's been for the club.

"I think 350 games is the most by a mile - I don't think anyone else comes close.

"When the club's been strong, Tim's been there and when the club's struggling he'll pick up coaching and captain roles, whatever he needs to do to help out. It's been an honour to play with him."

Gainey said persistence, dedication and a love for the game epitomised Mitchell who had played with a knee complaint for a number of seasons.

"We talk every night so it means a lot to watch his progress," he said.

"Our families are close and his mum Joy and his dad Graeme have been close to my family as well, looked after my children, babysat and we do Christmases together."

Gainey said Mitchell, who works as an optometrist, was a credit to himself.

"He goes to the gym, puts in the work and he sees the results," he said.

"Now he's mentoring these young ones and he's still young himself.

"He's one of the crowd favourites and I am just proud of what he's accomplished."

Mitchell has gone from minutes off the bench to a starting five player for his home club.

"As a kid growing up wanting to play for the Seahawks it was the dream of 'I hope I get to play a game for them one day'," he said.

"To make it to a number like 200 - I don't normally think too much about the individual stuff but I am definitely pretty honoured to make that number. I don't think there's been too many along the way."

He has vivid memories of the first time he stepped on court in a Seahawks' jersey.

"I air-balled my very first shot," Mitchell laughed.

"It was 2010, I was 15 and Bobby (Cunningham) and Tim threw me on in the last couple of minutes.

"I was absolutely petrified but I grew up just wanting to play a game with the Seahawks so I was pretty happy.

"And I still shoot air-balls now."

Mitchell, who describes his knee as "functional enough", can hit the scoreboard and prides himself on being a team player with a strong defensive mindset.

"There was a few more years of sitting on the bench and then I ticked a few games over," he said.

"It's been good to play that little bit more as I've got that little bit older and wiser on the court.

"I am never going to be the most-skilled guy, the quickest or the fastest but if I can go out and play with effort and get some extra possessions with rebounding and trying to do the hard work under the basket, I think that's where I can help us out and even being a voice for the younger guys coming through.

"I've been there, I've sat on the bench for seasons and played two minutes a game. I try and help those guys (doing that now) and explain 'it is worth it in the end, keep working'."

Gainey's passion for the game still burns strong.

The father-of-four, whose wife Louise is from Warrnambool, has no plans to retire any time soon.

"I like the game of basketball and that's what it comes down to - it keeps me sane, keeps me young," Gainey said.

"If I am able to get up and down the court, I'll play.

"It will be a surprise when I do (retire). My body has been good and I won't put a date on it, I'll just wake up one day and know.

"I think I still have a lot left in the tank."

The club is ingrained in both players.

They were born on opposite sides of the world with a passion for the same things - basketball and community.

"It's been basically my whole adult life essentially," Mitchell said of his love for the Seahawks.

"Since I've been 15 it's been two nights a week training, playing on weekends and when you're playing it's like 'what's next? How do I get ready for next season?', playing CBL over the summer.

"You try and plan things like holidays and work and it's like 'I can't be away'.

"I have really enjoyed it and I am really grateful for it and having mum (Joy) and dad (Graeme) involved in the club, they come and watch me and they got their life memberships this year and it was really good to watch that as well."

Warrnambool was always calling Gainey early in his professional career when he'd spent six months on Australian shores and the other six travelling the globe playing for different teams.

He said when he looked back on his journey he recognised "a lot of history", highlighting players, coaches, including Rod Hind, Adam Steere, Barry Brooks, Bobby Cunningham, 2016 championship winner Matt Alexander and Alex Gynes, and hard-working committee members such as former president John Bowman.

He enjoyed watching Australian Boomer Nathan Sobey and Shaun Gleeson, who played in the NBL, start out as Warrnambool players.

"We're pretty much the only country club that's been there every year and survived," he said of the Seahawks and Mermaids' Big V journey.

"There was years we nearly folded and we keep pushing on.

"I came out in 2006 and credit to Bobby Cunningham, Barry Brooks and John Bowman, without those three I probably wouldn't have stayed.

"Australia has probably always been my second home. I've probably spent half my life here now and these guys like Mitch and a few others are keeping me young."

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