BALLARAT Lady Miners have to begin defeating teams above them if they are to be sure of making the South East Australian Basketball League play-offs.What better time to start than against Bendigo Lady Braves in tonight's The Courier-Bendigo Advertiser Cup at the Minerdome.With just eight games to play and sitting fifth, the Ballarat Community Health Lady Miners have had only one win over a team in the leading quartet.That came over Brisbane.They have lost to Kilsyth (twice) and Knox.It is imperative the Lady Miners add to the tally of wins with two games against Bendigo (second), and other encounters to come against Brisbane and Knox.Ballarat has managed to get its nose marginally ahead of a log jam for fifth and six with two consecutive wins and coach Kym Cassells cannot stress enough the need to extend the run.She said the Lady Miners could not afford to drop back into the pack."We have to start pinching some games off teams above us."Ballarat regains Chantal Allgood for the Bendigo clash after she was unavailable to make the trip to Sandringham on Sunday.Cassells said the Lady Miners were in good shape.She said the Lady Braves had a similar make-up to Ballarat, enjoying an up-tempo game. Kelly Wilson will be the focus of Ballarat's attention.Wilson is having an outstanding season, averaging 23.4 points. She must be stopped.Lady Miners imports Amy Lewis and Cayla Francis will be the centre of attention for Bendigo, but hopefully this will free up Kristy Rinaldi, Prue Scott, Emma Reus and Allgood to make the impact needed to overcome the visitors.Scott and Rinaldi have demonstrated on several occasions what a difference it makes when they free up offensively.Scott did just that in her latest outing against Sandringham, when her 18 points was the difference between winning losing.