THE Ballarat Miners will face their biggest challenge since returning to the winners’ list a fortnight ago when they face off against an in-form Nunawading Spectres at the Minerdome on Saturday night.
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After a string of losses the Miners have managed to set their season back on track over the past two weeks, overcoming a hapless Melbourne Tigers side a fortnight ago before grinding out a win over the Dandenong Rangers last Saturday.
Import Earnest Ross was crucial for the Miners in the triumph, scoring 26 points and amassing 10 rebounds to earn the SEABL player of the week award.
However, a lapse in concentration in the third term where the Miners almost relinquished a 20-point lead to the Rangers will be a cause for concern for coach Eric Hayes heading into Saturday’s clash.
Hayes said while his side had play a half of “really solid basketball” in the opening phase of the fixture against Dandenong, some players were prone to forfeiting the team first mentality in tight parts of matches.
“People need to understand they are valuable in the team and not within themselves,” Hayes said. “If someones working their butt off doing the things that aren’t really noticed as a team we notice them.”
The Miners will face one of the form sides of the competition in Nunawading, who have won its past four fixtures on the trot. In their most recent effort the Spectres managed to overcome Mount Gambier, with four players shooting double digits.
“We’ve got move the ball around a bit offensively and defensively stay disciplined,” Hayes said. “We watched a bit of footage earlier this week and tried to point of some of the things I feel are stopping us from playing consistently.”
The Miners also will be hoping to gain the services of 24-year-old James Hunter in the coming fortnight, as he wraps up his duties with Spanish club Grupo Inec Zamora.
Hunter will add additional height to the Miners’ lineup after Chris Smith returned from injury last week.