For the Rush, the highly anticipated match-up against Knox was always going to be a challenge, but with a less than full-strength roster it was going to be a tough ask.

While the MARS Minerdome scoreboard recorded an eight-point loss, further bad news came for the Rush camp when talented young tall Claire Blower aggravated a knee injury and failed to finish Saturday night’s game.

Without one of their key players, Rush was undersized but didn’t go down without a fight, hustling to lead the rebound count for the game. 

The girls headed off on Sunday to face the red hot Dandenong Rangers in a clash that showed true Ballarat character.

Severely under-manned against a strong Rangers team, younger members of the squad such as Jessica Tempany and Izzy Fraser supported Bronte Clark, who finished with a team-high 17 points to keep the margin to 21.

Youth League Miners also experienced a tough double-header falling to Blackburn on Saturday night in a high-scoring affair.

Giving up 116 points is always going to be a tough ask to outscore and the Miners simply didn’t have enough firepower to chase the monster total down.

Tristan Fisher and Leo Viitala starred for the next generation of Miners having combined for 48 while Sam Short picked up game most valuable player honours for a solid all round performance. 

The Miners also gave up 100 points on the defensive end when they were comprehensively beaten by Sunbury, 100-52 on Sunday. 

They will hit the road this weekend to face Altona, before returning to the Minerdome on May 30 when they face Keysborough at 8pm.

Youth League Rush will also scramble in the bus as they take on Bullen before also returning on May 30 when Kilsyth makes its way to town.

melanie.whelan@fairfaxmedia.com.au

BIG V YOUTH LEAGUE

CHAMPIONSHIP WOMEN

KNOX 14 33 42 61

BALLARAT 11 22 34 53

Ballarat points: Eliza Roughead 15, Bronte Clark 13 (2 three-pointers), Claire Constable 10 (2), Isabel Fraser 6 (1), Taylah Wynne 5, Margaret Baker 2, Claire Blower 2.

REBOUNDS – Knox 31, Ballarat 39 (Roughead 15, Constable 7)

ASSISTS – Knox 8, Ballarat 5

STEALS – Knox 22, Ballarat 5

TURNOVERS – Knox 11, Ballarat 35

BLOCKS – Knox 4, Ballarat 2

SHOOTING – field goals, Knox 23/73 (31.5%), Ballarat 16/50 (32.0%); three-pointers, Knox 5/20 (25.0%), Ballarat 5/17 (29.4%); free throws, Knox 10/21 (47.6%), Ballarat 16/18 (88.9%).

DANDENONG 18 37 60 78

BALLARAT 7 31 43 57

Ballarat points: Bronte Clark 17 (2 three-pointers), Jessica Tempany 15 (3), Claire Constable 9 (3), Eliza Roughead 9, Isabel Fraser 7 (1).

REBOUNDS – Dandenong 55, Ballarat 39 (Rougfhead 11, Clark 7)

ASSISTS – Dandenong 16, Ballarat 8

STEALS – Dandenong 7, Ballarat 8

TURNOVERS – Dandenong 16, Ballarat 12

BLOCKS – Dandenong 5, Ballarat 4

SHOOTING – field goals, Dandenong 32/75 (42.7%), Ballarat 20/75 (26.7%); three-pointers, Dandenong 5/19 (26.3%), Ballarat 9/28 (32.1%); free throws, Dandenong 9/15 (60.0%), Ballarat 8/17 (47.1%).

CONFERENCE LADDER: Melbourne 142.28 percentage points, 100.00 winning percentage; Dandenong 134.45, 100.00; Ballarat 101.96, 58.33; Eltham 100.13, 46.15; Ringwood 89.43, 36.36; Waverley 74.44, 28.57; Kilsyth 79.86, 27.27; Bendigo 87.82, 25.00.

NEXT GAME: Bulleen v Ballarat, Saturday 7pm

LEAGUE ONE MEN

BLACKBURN 25 54 88 116

BALLARAT 22 48 65 90

Ballarat points: Leo Viitala 26 (4 three-pointers), Tristan Fisher 22 (4), Sam Short 16 (2), Damon Tilley 8 (2), James Reeves 8 (2), Ross Weightman 4, James Hallett 2, James West 2, Zachary Pell 2.

REBOUNDS – Blackburn 51, Ballarat 38 (Viitala 8, Short 6, Weightman 6)

ASSISTS – Blackburn 26, Ballarat 18 (Short 5)

STEALS – Blackburn 6, Ballarat 7

TURNOVERS – Blackburn 13, Ballarat 16

BLOCKS – Blackburn 4, Ballarat 5

SHOOTING – field goals, Blackburn 47/88 (53.4%), Ballarat 36/84 (42.9%); three-pointers, Blackburn 10/25 (40.0%), Ballarat 14/28 (50.0%); free throws, Blackburn 12/23 (52.2%), Ballarat 4/6 (66.7%).

SUNBURY 32 58 83 100

BALLARAT 13 28 41 52

Ballarat points: James Reeves 21 (3 three-pointers), Anthony Bedggood 10, Leo Viitala 7, Malachi Harvey 5, Zachary Pell 3, Damon Tilley 2, James West 2, Ross Weightman 2.

REBOUNDS – Sunbury 48, Ballarat 45 (Weightman 10, Viitala 7, Harvey 7)

ASSISTS – Sunbury 26, Ballarat 9

STEALS – Sunbury 18, Ballarat 6

TURNOVERS – 10, Ballarat 22

BLOCKS – Sunbury 8, Ballarat 1

SHOOTING – field goals, Sunbury 39/79 (49.4%), Ballarat 20/71 (28.2%); three-pointers, Sunbury 6/19 (31.6%), Ballarat 3/16 (18.8%); free throws, Sunbury 16/28 (57.1%), Ballarat 9/19 (47.4%).

LADDER: Blackburn 121.39 percentage points, 83.33 winning percentage; Sunbury 115.95 , 75.00; Whittlesea 113.79 72.73; Coburg 101.56 66.67; Altona 102.89, 58.33; Bendigo 99.87, 50.00; Hume City 94.59, 50.00; Werribee 94.92, 46.15; Camberwell 99.36, 36.36; Geelong 90.75, 23.08; Ballarat 83.72, 23.08; Keysborough 91.10, 11.11. 

NEXT GAME: Altona v Ballarat, Sunday 3pm