When Ballarat Miners import Marqueze Coleman went down with an injury early in the 2019 NBL1 season, Miners coach Brendan Joyce issued a challenge to his players.
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"Coach said whoever came on had to step up," Miners point guard Zach Dunmore recalled.
At the time, the Miners had won a perfect six games from six starts.
Dunmore had scored a career-high 12 points against Albury a few weeks prior and was feeling confident ahead of the side's road clash against the Eltham Wildcats on May 11.
But he didn't anticipate what came next.
"I checked in in the first half and I knocked down a three in the first quarter, and after that I felt I was in rhythm and my teammates started getting me the ball," he said.
The shot marked the first of many for the Ararat native, who went on to score 24 points off eight made three pointers in a Ballarat win.
More importantly, it eliminated any doubt as to where he belonged going forward.
"I work hard every day and I felt like if I had the opportunity, I could show what I could do and I did in that game," he said.
Dunmore was one of four players to split time between the senior squad and the club's youth league program in 2019. On top of NBL1 duties, Dunmore also helped lead the Miners youth to a Big V championship in the youth league one men's competition.
"I felt like every time I stepped on the court I was the best player last year, and I tried to prove that," he said.
He proved it in the Big V youth league one men's semi-final when he nailed a last second shot to force overtime against the Corio Bay Stingrays. The shot not only saved the game, but the season for the Miners who were on the brink of elimination after trailing by as many as 20 points.
Following the year, Dunmore earned a permanent spot on the NBL1 roster before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Now back in Ararat, Dunmore continues to practice on a daily basis in his backyard, but he is unsure when he will be back on a basketball court.
With player and import salaries likely to take a hit when the NBL1 returns, the youngster might see an increased role in 2021.
If that is the case, Dunmore said he would be ready to answer the call.
"I've worked hard to get where I am and I want to keep working hard to see how high I can go in the basketball world," he said.
