Ballarat Miners have found themselves in the top four of the South East Australian Basketball League and the number two team in the south conference after an impressive weekend.
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The GMHBA Miners notched a 10-point win over Albury-Wodonga Bandits at the Mars Minerdome on Saturday, and then backed up with a 16-point victory over Dandenong Rangers on the road on Sunday.
Following Saturday’s match, coach Eric Hayes said the team was committed and focused, and had come prepared for a shoot out against the high-scoring Bandits.
“We knew they were tough and they work hard and play together, and they are talented,” he said.
“Every win at the moment is really important in establishing ourselves as one of those teams in that (top) four.”
While the Bandits led by six points at half-time, the Miners made a fierce comeback in the third quarter.
They scored 26 points and kept the Bandits to just six to go into the final quarter with a handy 16-point lead.
“They just came out and backed each other and trusted each other and it was a great result,” Hayes said.
“There were just some patches of incredible defence and then, offensively, the way we moved the ball and created for each other was just really impressive.
“There were a lot of things right throughout the game that we could feel good about.”
Hayes noted an incredible display from Peter Hooley – who had 44 points, four rebounds, four assists and made ten out of 11 free throws.
“It was within our structures – it wasn’t ‘give me the ball’, he just got great looks and people found him and when that happens and you get on a roll then it is possible to put up some big numbers,” Hayes said.
“I was really surprised that he had that many (points)… it was a very quiet 40 I thought.”
In the Miners game against the Rangers, Craig Moller top scored and made a double double with 27 points and 10 rebounds.
Hooley was again dominant with 25 points, three rebounds and eight assists.
The Miners led at every break despite a competitive Dandenong side.