Under coach John Burns, the Pioneers finished the 1997 season as conference runners-up before missing the playoffs again in 1998.

[3] The 2003 Pioneers squad included Jason Sedlock (co-captain), Damien Anderson (co-captain), Damien Smith, Jamie Holmes, Kurt Russell, Allen Cram, Ben Jones, Brad Wilson, Sam Fotu, Jason Joynes and Kingsley Clarke.

With the SEABL being Australia's elite semi-professional competition, the Pioneers were forced to accept many concessions in order to enter the Premier League, including diluting its SEABL-quality men's team, fielding a women's team, and paying $4,000 per visiting club toward costs of the trip to Mount Gambier.

[11][12] The Pioneers men reached the Premier League Grand Final in 2019, where they lost 107–90 to the Forestville Eagles.

[15] However, despite being granted entry by the New Zealand NBL Board, Basketball Australia declined to allow the Pioneers permission.