The head coach said it had been a while since the Ballarat GMHBA Miners had reigned as the powerhouse of Australia’s second tier basketball competition.

Winning Saturday night’s conference final against Dandenong for a spot in the SEABL championship game provided the first step in a return to that golden era. 

“When I look up at the banners (in the stadium), there is certainly a big gap and it hasn’t been bridged,” Hayes said. 

“So we have some work to do if we want to start a new chapter, we haven’t really achieved anything yet. 

“We finished top of the table and that’s a great accomplishment, but that just gets you into a good position.”

It has been 16 years since Ballarat hosted a SEABL match this big.

Back then, Hayes was playing in his second conference championship for the Miners and was named south conference most valuable player after a standout performance.

The Ballarat basketball legend described the 2001 Miners as the benchmark team of the competition with a healthy winning record. 

“We had a pretty high-powered group that year and we felt we were going to be a good chance at winning a national championship,” Hayes said.

However, the latter did not eventuate due to the collapse of Ansett Airlines. 

Hayes has been in a coaching role with the Miners for the past five seasons, the first two as an assistant under long-time friend and mentor David Flint and the past three as head coach. 

The Miners went on to break an eight-year finals drought in 2014, and made finals again in 2015, but both campaigns resulted in on-the-road semi-final losses to Dandenong.

This season the Miners believe they have the personnel and hunger to contest the SEABL championship. 

Hayes said while he had spoken to the team about his own experiences on the court in big games, it was important to keep in mind every player was different.

“What I went through may be irrelevant, but I have experienced things... and I’ve watched groups implode, and I’ve seen people overachieve,” Hayes said.

“And I share those experiences in the hope that it resonates with someone and it might help them get the most out of themselves.”

Hayes said one of the key differences this season had been the focus on recruiting “good” people. 

The new additions had been leaders at their previous clubs and had experienced success, which had produced a team that not only played for each other but had a strong desire to win. 

But the Miners have also recruited well in terms of the roles they needed to fill.

Marvin King-Davis has provided a physical presence, along with an ability to dunk and shoot the ball well, while Davon Usher fulfilled the athletic and long-armed build the Miners were after.  

“He can shoot the ball from outside, he can penetrate and get to the basket, and he is left handed, which is the icing on the cake,” Hayes said.

Team success has also come down to the coaching staff and management.

“Nathan Cooper-Brown has got probably one of the best basketball minds of anybody in the competition and Justin (Fraser) has been great with things statistically for us,” Hayes said.

“All of us have brought different things to the group to reach its potential.”

While the Miners have put themselves in the best position possible, the team is solely focused on the job at hand on Saturday night.

Ballarat Miners know how crucial a good start will be against a firing Dandenong Rangers outfit in the South East Australian Basketball League south conference final on Saturday night. 

While the Ballarat GMHBA Miners recovered well after a sluggish first quarter in their semi final against Hobart, captain Peter Hooley said a strong defensive effort was needed early against a team that has been shooting the ball “extremely well”. 

Dandenong had one of the most impressive shooting displays in SEABL playoff history against Hobart last weekend, shooting the ball at 61 per cent and 58 per cent from the three-point line.

“We’ve had no problem scoring all year, but it’s going to come down to how well we play defence and make them do something they are not comfortable with,” Hooley said.

“If we let them get hot early, especially from behind the three-point line, it could be tough to chase down.

“They are a more dangerous team than Hobart in terms of their three-point shooting.”

But the Miners will take confidence out of their ability to get back into games, with imports Marvin King-Davis and Davon Usher capable of providing a spark or a bit of flair to ignite the team, while Hooley has lifted when needed this season and pulled off some big scores.

While the Miners have defeated Dandenong twice this season, winning seven out of eight quarters of basketball, Hooley said it did not count for much in finals. 

“The energy is different in finals because everyone knows if you lose the season is done, so there is a lot more riding on it and you have to give it everything you’ve got,” Hooley said.

“But we just have to stick to our game plan, do what the coach has asked of us and take it a quarter at a time.”

Forward Craig Moller is a key out for the Miners while he represents Australia in the World University Games overseas, but the addition of import Leon Henry will soften the blow. 

The Miners have put themselves in the best position possible to do so with a home final, which has resulted in the Rangers travelling to Ballarat following an interstate trip to Tasmania. 

The sold out conference final will also mark Miners’ big man Chris Smith’s final game in front of a home crowd. 

“(Chris) is a guy you want around your team because he does what he has to do, and tomorrow is a chance for him to step up,” Hooley said. 

“We want to make sure we are playing for everyone, but obviously we want to send him out the right way.”