But Ballarat coach Shane Mathison agrees there is no better way to describe the Miners' 110-103 victory over Bendigo in the South East Australian Basketball League at Bendigo on Saturday night.

The RetireInvest Ballarat Miners trailed for most of the night, but led when it counted most.

"It was just hard work," said Mathison.

"It was a gutsy effort."

The Bendigo Braves were never able to get out to more than a 13-point lead, but regularly had an advantage in double figures.

Ballarat defeated Bendigo in overtime in the first round this season and for a large part of the last quarter there was a possibility of more extra time.

The scores were locked together four times and it was not until guard Ricky Henderson found the basket with 60 seconds to go that the Miners finally developed a run on.

Jamal Brown scored twice more and The Courier-Bendigo Advertiser Cup remained in Ballarat's hands.

Mathison said it was satisfying to have a 2-0 record against the Braves so early.

Mathison praised the effort of Eric Hayes, who was called on to carry an extra workload when Marcus Toney-El and Brown ran into foul trouble. Each finished on five for the game.

Toney El also struggled with cramp.

He said Hayes had played the exact role he had come out of retirement to play.

"It was a fantastic performance."

"He played more minutes than played and made some clutch baskets."

First-year player Matt Hardiman produced his best game of the season with 10 points - providing some spark in the second quarter in particular.

Phil Benn was also a key contributor as he battled illness to snap up seven rebounds.

Ballarat, which is third in a tight east conference, now prepares to face the might of the Geelong Supercats at the Minerdome on Friday night.

Geelong has won three of four games to be second to Frankston in the south conference.