But study commitments will push James Mitchell, Curtis Ryan and Liam Killey apart next season, forcing the Seahawks to search for new options in the paint.

The trio are eager to lead Warrnambool to a division one championship next month and leave a lasting legacy at their home club.

Mitchell, 20, will move to Geelong next year to start an optometry course and is unsure if he’ll suit up for Warrnambool, and Ryan, 19, will fly to America in August to begin a four-year basketball scholarship.

Killey, 18, is eyeing a spot on a Melbourne-based championship grade roster as he prepares to start a pharmacy degree at RMIT University.

They harbour ambitions of playing together again down the track.

"That is the sad thing - we're all so young that we could play together for years,” Killey said.

Warrnambool hosts Latrobe City Energy – its 2014 semi-final conqueror and the reigning title winner – in a quarter-final at the Arc on Saturday night.

Mitchell believes the Seahawks can break their 17-year championship drought.

"I think everyone has said this is as good a team as we've had in a long time and we obviously want to make the most of it,” he said.

"It's probably the last time we're all going to be together in a team. This is our chance so we need to make the most of it.”

Mitchell said Warrnambool, which notched a 15-7 win-loss record, had found its rhythm at the right time of the season.

"The last few weeks it feels like it's clicked all at once,” he said.

"Everyone has found their role. We struggling a bit in the middle. 

“I wasn't sure if we were going to get it together but the last few weeks have been really good.

"We have seven or eight people scoring seven or eights points. It's hard to stop when you've got a team like that.”

Mitchell (198 centimetres), Ryan (204) and Killey (204) have used their experience teammates to help fast-track their development.

They praised Alex Starling, Tim Gainey and Matt Alexander for sharing their wealth of knowledge.

"When things start getting a little stressful, like when a team goes on a run, it is a calming influence,” Mitchell said.

"Tim will get the ball and chill everyone out a bit. They are in your ear a fair bit.

"Matt's been injured and he's been on the bench and he's like 'this has been good, this is what you can improve on' and that sort of thing.”

Ryan has used Alexander, a former NBL journeyman more than two decades his senior, to prepare for life on the US college circuit.

“Matt kind of beats you up a bit around the basket, so physically playing against Matt has helped a lot,” he said.