Dandenong v Ballarat Miners
at Dandenong Stadium
Saturday, 7.30pm
BALLARAT MIners head coach Eric Hayes believes his players are re-invigorated going into a South East Australian Basketball League semi-final.
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For the second year in a row the GMHBA Miners face Dandenong in an east conference knockout play-off at Dandenong.
And Hayes has no doubt about his players being ready.
He admitted not being quite so upbeat ahead of their last regular season clash with against Kilsyth a week ago.
“Our preparation didn’t go as well as we wanted.
“The air seemed to be taken out of us.”
The Miners managed overcome that to get a win over Kilsyth to secure fourth position and a finals berth.
“We were fortunate to get the job done.” Haye said.
Hayes has no such concerns this week.
“There’s been an injection of energy. The energy’s back”
Hayes said importantly there was a mental strength in the playing group.
There’s been an injection of energy."
- Head coach Eric Hayes
“We’ve been on a roll (five wins in a row) and I think there’s a belief we can match it with anybody.
“We believe in what we’re doing.”
Hayes feels good about going further than last season, when the Miners fell to Dandenong Rangers at the same stage.
While he said there were some players who played in that loss who might be fueled to make amends, he was loathe to draw comparisons between that game and the challenge that awaited the Miners this time.
“It’s different in a lot of ways. It’s a different group.”
One big difference though is the appearance this time around of star Roy Booker.
He missed the second part of last season with injury and on his return expressed a determination to lead Ballarat into another finals series.
He has done just that – averaging 25.1 points a game.
”Roy can turn a game around,” Hayes said.
Booker is certainly to come under plenty of attention from Dandenong, just as the Miners will focus on the likes of Daequon Montreal and 250-game veteran point guard Andrew Harms.
Like Booker, Montreal has had a stand-out year with a game average of 23.6 points, but the Miners will be confident they can be quieten his impact after keeping him to 14 and 11 points in their two meetings this season.
Hayes said the first job had been completed in making the finals.
Now the next phase begins.
Miners line-up
Daniel Skaer, Kris Blicavs, Dane Sisic, Liam Gibcus, Roy Booker, Dyson King-Hawea, Anthony Fisher, Greg Thondique, Chris Smith
