BALLARAT basketball fans can prepare for a blockbuster at the Minerdome tonight.
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Arch-rivals Bendigo Braves are in town for a mid-week school holiday fixture four days after a near-capacity crowd at the Mars Minerdome for the Ballarat Rush and Miners’ first home game.
Tight scheduling has left Rush coach Peter Cunningham and Miners coach David Flint reviewing footage in between daily work commitments for the South East Australian Basketball League showdown.
Rush and Miners players had a pool recovery session on Sunday morning and light training sessions last night in the short turnaround.
It is a pivotal game for both Ballarat teams.
The GMHBA Miners have chalked up one win from three games after fading against Nunawading on Saturday night.
This might only be the fourth game of their campaign but it leads into a 17-day break before they are next in battle on the
floor.
Miners coach Flint told The Courier after the game his team are keen to step up before a home crowd.
Bendigo Braves enter the clash off a three-point loss to Frankston – their first loss this season – but with imports Dustin Salisbery and Zach Atkinson firing.
Miners’ American imports Ken Horton and Roy Booker gave the Minerdome crowd a taste of their exciting play and the Miners are keen to build on
this.
Integra Rush must again work to defy popular opinion in the women’s game.
The Lady Braves, led by veteran guard Chantella Perera, are the only undefeated team in the women’s south conference.
Rush, undefeated from two games, has defeated Brisbane in Brisbane and fended off a fast-finishing and vastly experienced Nunawading.
Recruit Steph Cumming and captain Kristy Rinaldi have proven instrumental in both victories and must again regroup a young Rush for this tough assignment.
Rush will be thrown in action again this Saturday night in a road trip to face Frankston.