Ballarat Basketball will cap off the regular South East Australian Basketball League season with a double header at the Mars Minerdome on Saturday night.
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Ballarat Rush looks to continue a four-game winning streak against BA's Centre of Excellence in a late push to make finals.
The team comes off a 16-point victory over top three opponent Launceston and has now won 10 of its past 12 matches.
But even if Ballarat Skoda Rush wins on Saturday night, it relies on Hobart losing its final two matches.
BA CoE poses a challenge, sitting third in the east conference with eight wins.
We have to go in there as though we are playing Mount Gambier and really just focus on ourselves.
- Ballarat Miners captain Peter Hooley
Regardless of the outcome, coach David Flint said a strong finish to the season would hold the squad in good stead for next year.
Meanwhile, the Ballarat Miners take on the east conference’s eighth-placed BA CoE, which has won just two games.
Despite coming up against a more inexperienced side that has struggled, Ballarat GMHBA Miners’ centre Chris Smith said the visiting team would leave nothing on the court in its final game.
“They are all the kids that have an (Australian Institution of Sport) scholarship... but they are the best 16, 17 and 18-year-olds in the country,” he said.
Smith said the team could not afford to be complacent, with a loss possible if it did not show up.
“A few years ago, we were on an eight-game winning streak and we strutted in and thought we were going to win easily.
“We ended up losing when they had won one or two games all year, so we just need to come ready to play and make sure we get the job done.”
The Miners are playing for a top two position in south conference.
Finishing first or third will guarantee the team a home game for its first final.
Captain Peter Hooley said the squad will also be looking to have the best preparation possible ahead of its playoffs campaign.
“We can’t take them lightly, we have to go in there as though we are playing Mount Gambier and really just focus on ourselves,” he said.
“If results fall our way, we might finish first.”