WHEN Roy Booker sank a three-point buzzer-beater leading into the main break, Miners fans seemed assured of a bumper second half.
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Instead, it was Kilsyth that turned on the show and converted an even contest into a 22-point win on their terms in the South East Australian Basketball League on Sunday.
This makes two straight losses for the GMHBA Ballarat Miners, who had started the season so strong on their home court a fortnight ago.
The opening half had been tight and when Kilsyth found a seven-point buffer, the Miners had reeled the Cobras back in at the MARS Minerdome.
Play stayed close to midway through the third quarter the Miners even had a one-point edge on the Cobras at the five-minute mark. But by the quarter's end, the Cobras had piled on 30 points to the Miners' 15 to hold a 12-point lead.
The Miners' shooting accuracy
dropped, they were outplayed on the boards after dominating rebounds in the first half, and players started to look flat.
While the Miners tried to mix up combinations and plays, the Cobras had momentum and barely seemed to make a wrong move.
Cobras guard Kyle Adnam top-scored on 33 points with seven assists and seven rebounds.
Joel Naburgs (21 points, seven rebounds) and Tim Lang (20 points) finished strongly after the Miners had them under close check in the first half.
Booker was the Miners' top scorer with 30 points (four three-pointers) but Liam Gibcus (16 points, six rebounds) was named Miners' most valuable player shooting well, rebounding well and leading the charge in the opening half.
A strong Sunday crowd stayed to the end.
The Miners will be keen to give their fans more to cheer about next Sunday when they return to host Frankston, which remains winless from the opening three rounds.
melanie.whelan@fairfaxmedia.com.au