She believes if they make the play-offs, the Lady Miners are more than capable of taking out a second women's conference championship.

''If we make it, I'm really confident,'' Ashby said.

''It'll be a tragedy if we don't make it. A real shame''

Ballarat Community Health Lady Miners, which sit sixth with one game remaining, must defeat fourth-placed Kilsyth at the Minerdome tomorrow night to stay in the top six and play finals. Ashby says the lure of play-offs is

a big incentive for the Lady Miners to play right up to their best.

This is not where it finishes for them, though. They are also determined to ensure that retiring coach Kym Cassells goes out on a high.

Cassells finishes her stint as coach at the end of this season and this is expected to be her last appearance in the role at the Minerdome.

After nine years in charge, she is taking a break that will end 15 continuous years of service to the Lady Miners as player and coach. Ashby believes the Lady Miners could not have a better person than Cassells in charge for

the cut-throat situation they face.

''She has an incredible ability to galvanise, excite and inspire a group,'' she said.

Ashby should know. She and Cassells have been friends since pre-school. They also attended primary school together and then as a 12-year-old, Ashby followed Cassells to Celtic Tigers under-14s before lining up next to each other

in Ballarat representative and state teams, and then combining in later years as on- and off-court leaders with the Lady Miners.

Ashby said Cassells had always been relatively quiet and it had been a surprise to see her go down a coaching path. It has been a perfect fit, though.

Ashby said she had never played under a better-prepared coach.

She said having what was effectively a knockout final in front of a home crowd was a massive factor.

Ashby said Cassells' name was synonymous with Ballarat basketball, and she deserved a big send-off from the Ballarat basketball community.