BALLARAT Miners guard Anthony Fisher says team chemistry holds the key to their quest to make the South Australian Basketball League play-offs.
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He said head coach Eric Hayes was emphasising the need to know each other’s strengths and play in a way which brought out the best in teammates.
Fisher said it was all about putting the team first.
“What’s ever the best for the team, that’s the way we have to play – not what’s best for individuals. Don’t worry about ourselves.”
The GMHBA Miners need to spark a winning run.
And what better time to ignite that than against fellow men’s east conference finals contender Geelong Supercats at the Minerdome on Wednesday night.
Ballarat has struggled to string wins together and what it certainly cannot afford to do with eight games remaining for the season is make it back-to-back losses after going down to Hobart on Saturday night.
The Miners are fifth, but only one loss outside the top four and with a game in hand, so this encounter is as important as any it has faced.
“We need to win six of the games we have left,” Fisher said.
No one know betters than Fisher how tough Geelong is to beat at anytime, with the Supercats considering the Miners as their biggest rival.
“They’re always fired up against us.”
What makes Geelong even tougher right now is that it is protecting top spot in the east conference. Albury-Wodonga is hot on its tail.
Ballarat defeated the Supercats by two points on their part early in the season, so with head-to-head honours on the line this is another reason for Geelong having an extra edge.
Tip off is at 8pm.
MEANWHILE, a second former Ballarat Miner has joined the Adelaide 36ers in the National Basketball League for next season.
Nathan Sobey has signed a three-year contract with Adelaide after spending last season with the Cairns Taipans.
He started with Cairns as a rookie and was given a full roster position late in the season.
The 36ers have also secured Lucas Walker from Melbourne United.
Originally from Warrnambool, the 24-year-old Sobey played with the University of Wyoming Cowboys before joining the Miners in 2014.
He averaged 17.2 points, 2.6 assists and 5.1 rebounds in 17 games with Ballarat.
"I'm really looking forward to coming to Adelaide. I think playing under Joey will be great for my development and his style suits the way I play," Sobey told the 36ers.
Coach Joey Wright said Sobey would give his team a lot of energy.
