The first leg of the Women's Basketball Championship tips off in Tauranga today.
The Goldrush get its campaign under way with a match against the Capital Flyers this morning and the Lady Hawks in the evening.
The defending champion has lost the services of Tall Ferns Jillian Harmon and Samara Gallaher, who are both playing professionally.
Harmon is committed to Le Mura Lucca in Italy but there is a possibility Gallaher could return from Australia for the second tournament in Nelson next month. However, Goldrush coach Todd Marshall is not hopeful.
"At this stage she is not being released and I'm not holding my breath that we are going to get her at all this year,'' Marshall said.
"But the last couple of years have been a similar situation and we've managed to work it, so we will just have to see how that plays out.''
The Goldrush will also have to make do without guard Soraya Umaga-Jensen for the first tournament.
She has touch commitments but will be available for the remainder of the season.
American Natalie Visger will help fill the hole in the forward line-up left by Harmon's departure.
She has played professionally in Germany and is an experienced and tough player.
"She'll have an impact in her own way. She is a good passer and we'll have to see what Natalie brings. But I think she is going to be very useful.''
While the Goldrush might be missing some star power, Marshall believes the team will still be competitive.
"We still have lots of experience in the team with Natalie Smith and we've had Kelly Groot come back and Danielle Frost (nee Calnan).
"This team do all the right things. They train hard and play hard, so we'll be going in to win each game we play. We've still got a good team.''
The WBC takes on the same format as last year and some games will be played outside the three tournament weekends.
The Goldrush will host the Canterbury Wildcats on April 17.
It is the team's only home game this season.
The top six sides will contest the championship section at the final tournament in Porirua in mid-May.
Canterbury looks to have made the most significant recruiting moves.
It has signed former Tall Fern Sally Farmer and American Ashley Gayle.
The 26-year-old Gayle was a standout at the University of Texas, setting a single-season shot blocking record during her four year with the Longhorns.
The Lady Hawks finished runner-up last year and will be led by Tall Ferns point guard Jordan Hunter.
The Waikato Wizards finished runners-up in 2013 and 2014 but will have to manage without dual international Jessica Tuki, who has moved south to link up with Taranaki Thunder.
The Capital Flyers will be bolstered by the return of guard Jasmine Davis from a spell at the University of Wyoming.
She will be hoping to display the form that gained her a Tall Ferns trial last year.
WBC
Otago Goldrush
Natalie Visger, Janet Main, Bronwyn Kjestrup, Natalie Smith, Claudia Flaws, Aleisha Ruske, Nicole Ruske, Grace Love, Kelly Groot, Danielle Frost, Olivia O'Neill, Amy Waqauai.
Tournament 1 draw
Today
v Capital Flyers, 11.30am
v Lady hawks, 5.30pmTomorrow
v Junior Tall ferns, 9.30am
v Taranaki Thunder, 5.45pm
Sunday
v Nelson Sparks, 11.30am
