THE BALLARAT Miners hit the road again for round two of the South East Australian Basketball League season when they travel to Albury-Wodonga to do battle with the Border Bandits on Saturday.
It was during this encounter last season that the Telstra Country Wide-Telstra Shop Miners' injury toll began, with star guard Braith Cox damaging his back to sit the next eight games on the side-lines.
However, the new look team will travel to the border town full of confidence in the knowledge it should have two wins on the board already.
Ballarat will be determined to make amends for allowing the game against North West Tasmania to slip from its grasp in the Apple Isle last week.
New imports, Canadian Paul Larmand and American Justin Vande Pol, have increased the Miners' score-power, and they now must quickly blend in as a team and win crucial away games, particularly early in the season.
Albury-Wodonga will not be any easy push-over for the Miners, who will have to work hard at both ends of the floor if they are to earn a victory.
The Bandits went down to the talented Knox Raiders last week by 13 points, and they will be keen to redeem themselves in front of a large, parochial crowd.
Albury-Wodonga was well served against Knox by import Eric Bradley with 26 points and guard Nick Payne, who chipped in with 28 points.
They are two players the Miners' defence will have to keep a close check on.
Veteran Al McCowan will again suit up for the Bandits, and he likes nothing more than to shoot the three-pointers.
Ryan Stevens, Cox and Larmand all proved they can have high scoring games last week, and they need to ensure they are shooting the ball at an efficient rate for the Miners to gain the ascendancy.
Justin Vande Pol took thirty-one rebounds in last week's matches, and the Miners will again look to the big American to take charge inside the keyway.
Graeme Anstey, who displayed very good pre-season form, carried it into his game in round one.
His contribution is something the Miners lacked last season, and they certainly look far more dangerous with Anstey at his top.
Veteran Eric Hayes will be keen to show his true form against the Bandits and, if coach Paul Tudorovic can obtain quality minutes from Brett Goodgame and Phil Benn, the Miners will be hard to match up on.
The Miners need to post a win against the Bandits so they can return home full of confidence and ready to take on arch-rival, the Bendigo Braves, the following Saturday night at the Minerdome.