BALLARAT Rush is enjoying a run which has the potential to set up its South East Australian Basketball League season.
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Four consecutive wins have eased them into the women’s east conference top four under the guidance of head coach David Flint.
Early indications are that there will not be a lot between six of the seven teams and right now Rush is smack in the middle.
One game could send any team in either direction.
Ballarat and Frankston know this well as they prepare to meet in a cross-conference match-up at the Minerdome on Saturday night.
The Lady Blues have faltered with back-to-back losses in the south, but still hold a clear advantage in fourth.
Abbey Wehrung has played herself into some excellent form and not surprisingly played a big part in getting Rush on a roll.
She earned player of the week honours with her performance against Launceston.
Last season’s SEABL youth player of the year shot 23 points, had five rebounds, gave two assists and had two steals.
The shooting guard scored six straight points in the space of 32 seconds when the battle was up for grabs.
Wehrung and the likes of veteran Kristy Rinaldi are blending well with recruits Joy Burke, Ashleigh Spencer and Kerryn Harrington, now that she is off the injury list.
Spencer began the season in menacing form offensively. Her scoring has tapered off as the team has transformed, but this is just the sort of game in which she could hit back as Frankston puts more focus of stopping Burke, Wehrung and now Harrington.
GMHBA Miners will be fighting to retain a place in the top four in the men’s east conference against Dandenong in the Saturday night doubleheader at the Minerdome.
The Miners snapped a three-game losing run against Melbourne – enough to jump two positions to fourth.
Dandenong tumbled from third to fifth after two losses in Tasmania.
Ollie Bailey and Earnest Ross have been great assets for the Miners, but they are going to be fully tested by Boomer and former Miner Lucas Walker along with Daequon Montreal and Lucas Walker, as well as another former Ballarat player Liam Gibcus.
Chris Smith is hopeful of returning from a calf injury for the Miners, which are still waiting on the arrival of pre-season recruit James Hunter.
Hunter is completing a contract with Grupo Inec Zamora in Spain. With Zamora reaching the grand final, he is like to debut for the Miners on May 29.